Photo By Sgt. Javiera Scott | The 3rd Infantry Division dedicates the Sgt. 1st Class Alwyn C. Cashe Garden, to honor...... read more read more
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FORT STEWART, Ga. – For many of the 3rd Infantry Division Soldiers on Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield, Marne Week is the most anticipated week of the year.
“Marne Week has taken on a much more special meaning this year than it has in the past,” said Maj. Gen. Antonio A. Aguto, commanding general of the 3rd Infantry Division. “Marne week has always been a way for us to connect the Soldiers of today with the heroes that served before us in this Division.”
In 2020, the celebratory week was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, the 3rd Infantry Division celebrated the annual event a little differently.
“Marne Week is a way for us to stop, and celebrate each other through healthy competition, social events and also celebrate our past,” Aguto said.
Typically the week kicks off on that Monday morning with a division-wide run, but this year the opening ceremony was followed by a Bed Race.
Units from Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield built their own beds on wheels, which were manned by five people in total- four pushers and one rider. The first-ever winners of the bed race were the Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 9th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team.
The day was followed by the start of many other sporting and competition events. Some were spread out over the course of the week and some were single-day events. Competition events are a test of grit and toughness, foster readiness and esprit de corps, and are a fundamental part of the Division’s Marne Week celebration.
The Twilight Tattoo, held annually during Marne Week, featured a concert provided by the 3rd Infantry Division Band. It also included 103 soldiers reenlisting and reaffirming their commitment to the United States Army, as well as six recruits from the Hinesville Recruiting Center reciting their oath of enlistment into the military. The oath was given by Maj. Gen. Aguto. It also featured a display of the historic uniforms that the Division has transitioned through over time and a helicopter flyover by the 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade. During the ceremony many volunteers were also recognized for their service to the Division.
“The Twilight Tattoo ceremony laid out the history of our Division, while allowing us an opportunity to publicly recognize our volunteers,” said Aguto. “That is incredibly important given the year we just had with COVID-19.”
The Family Day event was created to bring together currently serving Dogface Soldiers, Veterans, Family members, and the community to celebrate the Division’s legacy. The United Service Organizations (USO) provided food and beverages free of charge to everyone and attendees played various outdoor games. Units of the Division provided static displays of the many different tactical vehicles actually used for combat operations. There were bounce houses, as well as a kid’s obstacle course, to provide fun for the littlest of family members.
The Black Daggers, the official U.S. Army Special Operations Command Parachute Demonstration Team, put on an impressive aerial display. A team of four members jumped out of a CH-47 Chinook helicopter and conducted aerial maneuvers, finally landing onto Cottrell Field, where kids were encouraged to meet jumpers and help repack their parachutes.
On the morning of May 20, the Division dedicated their garden for special ceremonies to Sgt. 1st Class Alwyn Cashe in an invite-only ceremony. The ceremony was attended by close family members of the Silver Star Medal recipient, Maj. Gen. Aguto, Command Sgt. Maj. Quentin Fenderson, the 3rd ID senior enlisted advisor, and many other Soldiers from throughout the Division. Cashe’s story is one that is widely known throughout the Army. He embodied the Warrior Ethos as well as the Army Values.
“As a Soldier, he personified the “not fancy, just tough” spirit of the Dogface Soldiers of the [3rd ID],” said Fenderson.
The closing ceremony was the final event, concluding the celebrations and recognizing the event winners from throughout the week. This year, the winners of the Marne Cup and owners of bragging rights as the best brigade were the Spartan Soldiers of the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team. The title of “Best Battalion” was taken by the Soldiers of the 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, which is stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia.
Finally, the Society of the 3rd Infantry Division hosted a military ball for Soldiers and Family members at the Jekyll Island Convention Center. The guest of honor was retired Lt. Gen. James E. Rainey, who became the 3rd ID commanding general in July 2015 and served as Deputy Commanding General-Support United States Forces – Afghanistan, Commander Bagram Airfield, and Commander, Joint Task Force-3 in support of Operation Freedom Sentinel.
“Thanks for everyone participating; thanks to everyone for being here,” said Aguto, “I can’t tell you how great it is to see everyone out here and for us to actually be able to do this, this week.”
| Date Taken: | 05.20.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 05.20.2021 18:41 |
| Story ID: | 396988 |
| Location: | FORT STEWART, GEORGIA, US |
| Web Views: | 193 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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