148th BSB turnover ceremony marks end of Volunteers OEF deployment

Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Donisha Burns | Lt. Col. Andrew Harris and Command Sgt. Maj. George Gattone uncase the colors of 186 Brigade Support Battalion. By uncasing the battalion flag this signifies the assumption of the missions.  

CAMP PHOENIX, AFGHANISTAN

03.28.2010

Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Donisha Burns 

48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team

CAMP PHOENIX, Afghanistan — The Soldiers of the 148th Brigade Support Battalion, 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Georgia Army National Guard, formed for the last time at Camp Phoenix, March 28, to conduct a transfer of authority with the arriving 186th Brigade Support Battalion of Vermont's 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team.

Better known as the Wishmasters, 148th BSB were established in 1829 as the Monroe Musketeers. The unit has served in the Spanish-American War, Mexican Expedition, World War I, World War II, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Iraqi freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom.

As the Wishmasters' Commander, Lt. Col. Perry Carter and Command Sgt. Maj. Barry Smallwood cased the 148th colors, they marked the completion of their nine-month OEF mission in support of 48th IBCT and Combined Joint Task Force 82.

"148th, you provided theater wide support for all classes of supply in the Kabul region. Each company took an extremely important mission and did an outstanding job- congratulations Volunteers!" said Col. Lee Durham, Commander, 48th IBCT.

The 186th BSB was formed in 1985 as a forward support battalion, assigned to the 50th Armored Division. After serving in an infantry division for 21 years, the Mountaineers were reorganized into a BSB in support of the 86th IBCT. This is the first time the battalion has deployed as a fully organic BSB.

"Mountaineers, we have a big job ahead of us and I look forward to it," said Lt. Col. Andrew Harris, Commander, 186th BSB.

Col. Perry A. Carter, Commander, 148th BSB added, "Success comes from strong leadership. Wishmasters, you have proven that. Your mission has been completed. Wishmaster Six, signing off the net."

• Date Taken: 03.28.2010
• Date Posted: 03.30.2010 10:09
• Story ID: 47437
• Location: CAMP PHOENIX, AF