Photo By Sgt. Abbygail Heinen | U.S Army Soldiers, assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 34th Infantry...... read more read more
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In October 2024, the Minnesota-based organization, Serving Our Troops, was less than one week away from fulfilling their mission to provide “dinner with the family” for over one thousand soldiers deployed in the U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility. However, when the threat level rose following the missile attacks on Oct. 1, the soldiers assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion demonstrated resilience and adaptability in the face of adversity.
Serving Our Troops began in the early 2000s, with a group of community and business leaders coming together to support those who put themselves in harm's way. Their three simple, yet noteworthy, goals are to provide a delicious meal to soldiers and their families, send a message of support, and promote awareness of Minnesota's unprecedented military service. Since their inception in 2004, they have served over 110,000 steak dinners to those around the world and their families.
Unfortunately, holding the event as planned was incompatible with force protection measures put in place to keep service members, civilians, and volunteers safe by mitigating non-mission-essential risk. However, the hard work and dedication of the Serving Our Troops organization was not lost on the soldiers.
U.S. Army Lt. Col. Jay Hackett, the commander of Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 34th Infantry Division, said, "We look forward to and highly encourage the participation of our community and family members in the excellent event still scheduled in Saint Paul. We look forward to seeing you all enjoy the event, which we see as 'Serving Our Troops by serving our community and families.'"
This year's Serving Our Troops event looked a little different as soldiers from the U.S. Central Command’s area of responsibility watched a live video stream of those in public office saying a few words of appreciation, listened to music, and saw their families enjoy the steak dinners. As the room filled with smiles and cheerfulness, the tent began to feel a bit closer to home. Many soldiers stood in front of the big screen camera in hopes that their little ones back home could see their parent, and many soldiers waited anxiously to speak with their families through video calls set up to enhance the feeling of having “dinner with the family.”
After a few weeks, the Serving Our Troops steaks were distributed to the dining facility and the 34th Infantry Division where they were allotted to sections by the number of personnel assigned to them. Team leaders used the opportunity to share a delicious meal with their military family and build comradery. Many enjoyed grilling food, having a barbeque, and enjoying a relaxing moment, reminiscing on the past months and looking forward to the upcoming ones.
Although this year wasn't the same, the 34th Infantry Division “Redbulls” are thankful for the opportunity to have witnessed the Serving Our Troops event and to see their families on the big screen.
| Date Taken: | 10.05.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 12.08.2024 14:45 |
| Story ID: | 486281 |
| Location: | (UNDISCLOSED LOCATION) |
| Web Views: | 23 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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