JACKSON, Miss. – Soldiers of the Mississippi Army National Guard were recognized by the U.S. Army for exceptional achievement at the Morton, Mississippi, readiness center today.
Charlie Battery, 1st Battalion, 204th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, was presented the Army’s 2014 Alexander Hamilton Award for being the top air defense artillery battery in the Army National Guard.
“What’s really important about this award is that it recognizes really superior mission execution,” said Brig. Gen. Christopher L. Spillman, commandant of the U.S. Army Air Defense Artillery School and the chief of Air Defense Artillery.
“A number of organizations were submitted for this award,” said Spillman. “The unit who has stood out as achieving the most significant and most challenging mission is the unit that normally wins this award.”
“This is a very prestigious award,” said Brig. Gen. Gregory L. Kennedy, the commander of the 66th Troop Command, Mississippi Army National Guard. “This recognizes that this unit is number one in the entire country.”
The state of Mississippi House of Representatives also acknowledged the unit for being number one by a proclamation honoring the unit that was presented by District 75 Rep. Tom Miles.
“The proclamation was us recognizing the battery, as a state, for their great accomplishments,” said Miles. “It's such a great honor.”
The unit’s accomplishment may set new standards for other units in the state and across the country and it shows the level of proficiency that Mississippi National Guard maintains.
“It validates our entire command philosophy,” said Kennedy. “That is to hold the Soldiers to a high level of standards and not settling for just the minimum.”
“This is a reflection on soldiers that have worked hard for the past year and half,” said Capt. Harry K. Howell, the commander of Charlie Battery who hails from Tupelo, Mississippi. “Charlie Battery is setting the standard for not only the air defense artillery units but also the Army National Guard.”
“They’re the example that has been set for others to follow,” said Miles. “It brings attention to Mississippi and shows that our men and women that are being trained here are the best in the country.”
Date Taken: | 04.18.2015 |
Date Posted: | 04.18.2015 18:30 |
Story ID: | 160432 |
Location: | JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI, US |
Hometown: | JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI, US |
Hometown: | MORTON, MISSISSIPPI, US |
Hometown: | TUPELO, MISSISSIPPI, US |
Web Views: | 499 |
Downloads: | 3 |
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