Courtesy Photo | Command Sgt. Maj. William Jones a Pelham, Ala. native and the Alabama State Command...... read more read more
Subscribe
By 1st Lt. Rosa Cannaverde
CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, Iraq— Soldiers with the 2101st Transportation Company, 394th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, 3rd Sustainment Brigade, 103rd Sustainment Command (Expeditionary), were visited by Brig. Gen. Charles Gailes Jr., commander of the 31st Chemical Bde. of Northport, Ala., and the Alabama State Command Sergeant Major, Command Sgt. Maj. William Jones, Oct. 28.
Gailes, a Huntsville, Ala., native, and Jones, a Pelham, Ala., native, represented the Alabama National Guard Adjutant General, and visited to check on the morale and welfare of the Alabama Army National Guard unit.
As they arrived at the terminal at Contingency Operating Base Speicher, Iraq, the brigadier general, the command sergeant major, and their escorts were greeted by the 2101st Trans. Company commander, Capt. Kelvin Perkins, and 1st Sgt. Travis Jernigan. They were quickly whisked away to visit the troops.
Their first stop was the COB Speicher Morale, Welfare and Recreation facility for a chance to talk to the soldiers with the 2101st Trans. Company As soon as he arrived in the building, Gailes took center stage.
“I’m ready for all of you to come home,” said Gailes. “I, personally, was ready to go home day one; day two, I was ready as well.”
He reminisced about the last time he was deployed.
“When I was deployed, I remember it was hell, but my family was home and secure because I was here,” he said. “Transportation companies like you were going through hell to get us food in Baghdad. I’m not the only guy in this uniform that likes to eat. What you guys do, a lot of people take for granted, but I don’t.”
Lastly, he reminded the soldiers that they have not been forgotten back home and just how important they are.
“You’re close to going home, don’t slack off; you have to give a hundred percent,” said Gailes. “You will slack off when you walk in the door to your house. When you get home, that’s when you’re off mission. Make sure to look after each other here and when you get home. Remember you’re important to me, the Alabama National Guard, and there is someone back home you’re important to as well.”
Jones thanked the soldiers for their service in the military. “Less than one percent of Americans will stand up, raise their right hand, and defend the constitution,” he said.
“You do it all, and a lot of times you do it without griping or complaining. You’re doing a great job, you’re coming home soon, just remember to stay focused.”
With that being said, they asked if anyone had any questions for them. The first question on everyone’s mind was, “When are we going home?” 1st Sgt. Jernigan, a Clayton, Ala., native quickly took the opportunity to enlighten the soldiers on the process of redeployment.
Once the soldiers’ questions had been asked and answered, Gailes and Jones handed out coins to 13 soldiers who had been chosen by the company chain of command. After lunch, they visited the company operations room. Gailes quickly began firing questions at the company leadership, but Jernigan had no trouble answering all of his questions.
As a memento to commemorate their visit to COB Speicher, the company leadership presented Gailes and Jones individually handcrafted magnets with their names and ranks inscribed on them.
As the day began waning, the general’s escorts let him know it was time to leave, their time at COB Speicher came to an end and the company commander and first sergeant escorted the visitors back to the airfield for their departing flight.
| Date Taken: | 10.28.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 11.08.2010 08:42 |
| Story ID: | 59649 |
| Location: | CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE SPEICHER, IQ |
| Web Views: | 172 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
This work, Brig. Gen. Charles Gailes and Command Sgt. Maj. William Jones visit 2101st TC soldiers, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
