Reenlistment to remember; 25th Infantry Division Soldier reenlists on battlefield

Photo By Daniel Nelson | Brig. Gen. Robert Brown shakes hands with Spc. Patrick Horton to congratulate him on his reenlistment to the Army. Horton, who was nearing the end of his first contract of four year, reenlisted for six more years of service to the Army.  

04.02.2009

Story by Spc. Daniel Nelson 

145th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment   

The vivid red, white and blue colors of the American flag were proudly displayed during a reenlistment ceremony for a Soldier from the 25th Infantry Division March 21.

Spc. Patrick Horton, 23, of Manhattan Beach, Calif., raised his right hand and took the oath-of-office with Brig. Gen. Robert Brown, 49, of Hawaii, administering it while in Dohuk for the Newroz celebration.

Horton, who is the acting intelligence non-commissioned officer-in-charge for Command Post-North, 25th Infantry Division and Task Force Lightning, was nearing the end of his first contract of four years while in Iraq. He re-enlisted for six more years of service to the Army.

The ceremony was conducted with the American flag hastily hung in front of a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter, with an audience including members of the Kurdish regional government and Soldiers from the CP-North team.

Brig. Gen. Brown, the Multi-National Division-North Deputy Commanding General (Support), spoke about the honor of being able to do the ceremony for such a "top-notch" individual such as Horton.

"It's an unbelievable privilege, being a general officer, to be able to do promotions and re-enlistment for Soldiers," said Brown. "It's one of the best things you get to do."

Horton had the pleasure of addressing the group after reciting the oath and receiving his certificate of reenlistment. He spoke with references to being proud to serve in the Army and how he's getting to see the work he has done during his previous deployment.

"I want to stay in until they kick me out of the Army," added Horton to the Soldiers from the CP-North team and members of the KRG during his reenlistment.

Thereafter, people from the audience lined up and shook hands with Horton to congratulate him on his reenlistment.

"You always hear stories of people having great reenlistments when they're deployed," Horton added following his ceremony. "It made it that much sweeter to have Brig. Gen. Brown reenlisting me into the 25th. That was probably the most impressive thing I've had my whole career to this moment."

• Date Taken: 04.02.2009
• Date Posted: 04.02.2009 04:33
• Story ID: 31897