Photo By Maj. Heather Guck | The 831st Engineer Vertical Construction Company (EVCC), Iowa Army National Guard,...... read more read more
FORT BLISS, Texas— The 831st Engineer Vertical Construction Company has returned stateside following a nine-month deployment across the Middle East. Under the command of Maj. Matt Burke, the unit, consisting of 150 Soldiers, executed critical infrastructure improvements and force protection projects in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Syria.
Maj. Burke’s leadership was pivotal in navigating the challenges of the deployment.
"We conducted construction projects for critical infrastructure improvements and force protection throughout the theater," said Maj. Burke. "Our impacts have been far-reaching, enhancing air defense capabilities at Prince Sultan Air Base and improving the daily safety and well-being of Soldiers through various force protection and life support services."
1st Sgt. Ryan Perrenoud, the company’s 1st Sergeant, demonstrated selfless service, ensuring the well-being of his Soldiers while balancing administrative tasks and on-site responsibilities.
"I was responsible for 150 Soldiers, and I tried to split my responsibilities between administrative tasks and being on the job site with them," said Perrenoud. "The greatest takeaway from this deployment was working with diverse demographics daily, adapting to and relating with each Soldier to make a positive impact."
Humility within the unit was further exemplified by 1st Lt. Adam Wagner, Vertical 1st Platoon Leader. Despite the harsh conditions, including temperatures reaching up to 120 degrees and frequent sandstorms, Wagner maintained humility and a commitment to learning.
"There’s a lot of asking questions required," Wagner noted. "My Soldiers were great, especially my non-commissioned officer’s; they helped me out a lot. We worked well and learned from each other."
SFC Matthew McKee, Platoon Sergeant for the 1st Platoon, Vertical Platoon, embodied duty through his role as a Project Engineer. With previous deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, McKee brought valuable experience to the mission in Saudi Arabia and Jordan.
"Something I will take back with me is to be resilient, have patience, and have a well-thought-out plan," McKee said.
1Lt. Bradley Ware, 3rd Horizontal Platoon leader, highlighted the sacrifices made by the unit.
"It’s nice to be back where it’s not as hot as over there—90 degrees feels nice compared to 116 degrees on average," Ware remarked. "When I left, my daughter was not crawling yet, and now she’s running around everywhere. It was nice to have the technology to watch her grow up even though I wasn’t there."
Sgt. 1st Class Dillon Long, Platoon Sergeant for the Horizontal Equipment Support Platoon, showcased resilience throughout the deployment.
"We were working 10-hour days, doing mass dirt work projects and equipment hauling operations," Long explained. "You can go into a deployment with expectations, but it is an ever-changing beast, and you have to adapt and overcome."
Loyalty was evident in Sgt. Stephen Pieczynski, construction and masonry team leader for the Vertical Platoon.
"My team and I went all around the Middle East building and remodeling housing for Soldiers and constructing guard shacks," Pieczynski shared. "Originally, I was supposed to get out of the National Guard, but I extended for nine months to serve on this deployment. It’s going to be one of the best times of my life."
The return of the 831st Engineer Vertical and Horizontal Construction Company marks the end of a mission characterized by leadership, selfless service, loyalty, duty, humility, resilience, and sacrifice. Their contributions have left a lasting impact on the infrastructure and safety of U.S. and allied forces in the Middle East.
| Date Taken: | 07.16.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 10.08.2024 15:30 |
| Story ID: | 482763 |
| Location: | IOWA, US |
| Web Views: | 118 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Iowa National Guard Army Engineers Return After Nine-Month Middle East Deployment, by MAJ Heather Guck, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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