Photo By Master Sgt. Toby Valadie | Master Sgt. Christopher Iennusa, 204th Theater Airfield Operations Group, Louisiana...... read more read more
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BATON ROUGE, La. - Yellow ribbons and salutes are signs of support and respect and Soldiers with the 204th Theater Airfield Operations Group where given both during a weekend devoted to training and recognition of their dedication to their country.
The Louisiana National Guard’s Reintegration Office honored Soldiers with the 204th TAOG during a Yellow Ribbon Training Event and the Freedom Salute Awards Ceremony held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Baton Rouge, La., July 10-11.
“Your job when you deployed was to protect our Soldiers and our way of life,” said retired Army Col. John R. Angelloz, Louisiana National Guard reintegration officer. “Your job this weekend is to learn from this training and go through the adjustment process as you return to your daily lives.”
The 204th TAOG deployed 44 personnel for 11 months to the Central Command Theater of Operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and Kuwait from June 2009 to May 2010.
“You truly did an amazing job and you proudly represented the Louisiana National Guard,” said Maj. Gen. Bennett C. Landreneau, adjutant general of the Louisiana National Guard.
The Soldiers managed 23 Air Traffic Control facilities in 18 separate airfields and conducted over 1.5 million aircraft movements in support of the Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.
“It was a unique experience,” said Sgt. Donavan Lemieux, of Los Angeles, Calif., air traffic controller for the 204th TAOG of his deployment. Lemieux was promoted to the rank of sergeant halfway through his deployment in Kuwait.
Soldiers and their families attended various seminars on anger management, PTSD, motor vehicle safety, compulsive behavior/substance abuse and sexual assault. Several job fair and benefits booths were also available.
“This reintegration training event is for both Soldiers and their families,” said Cindy Goulart, of Ball, La., Yellow Ribbon support specialist event coordinator. “We help them adjust back into civilian life from a military deployment.”
Soldiers received various awards including: the Louisiana War Cross, an American flag in a display case, lapel pin sets, Center of Influence Team medallions and Soldier footlocker kits for their children.
“These Soldiers and their families are heroes and deserve to be taken care of and recognized,” said Nikki Ganey, of Ponchatoula, La., family readiness support assistant for the State Aviation Command.
“The main challenge I faced was not being able to teach and protect my kids while I was deployed,” said Master Sgt. Christopher Iennusa, senior enlisted human resources noncommissioned officer, 204th TAOG.
Iennusa said that being able to take care of his Soldiers and their families was one of the most rewarding experiences during his deployment.
“The hardest part was the loneliness and having to help our son cope with the separation from his dad,” said Stacey Z. Iennusa.
She said that the weekend event was extremely beneficial to her family and that she walked away with a better understanding of the challenges that her husband experienced while deployed.
“The satisfaction of helping someone in need is one of the most gratifying aspects of being involved with these events,” said Lisa Palma, of Covington, La., family assistant specialist for the 204th TAOG.
| Date Taken: | 07.11.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 07.12.2010 18:16 |
| Story ID: | 52728 |
| Location: | BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA, US |
| Web Views: | 328 |
| Downloads: | 148 |
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