Photo By Sgt. Edwin Gray | The 3rd Special Troops Battalion handed over their authorities to the 77th Special...... read more read more
JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq – The 3rd Special Troops Battalion handed over their authority to the 77th Special Troops Battalion, 77th Sustainment Brigade, 310th Expeditionary Sustainment Command, at a transfer of authority ceremony April 8 at the East Morale and Welfare Recreation Center here.
The 77th Special Troops Battalion uncased their colors as the 3rd Special Troops Battalion covered their colors to represent the transfer of authority.
With a sustaining, distinct flame and motto “Hell Raisers Raise up,” the 3rd Special Troops Battalion, from Fort Stewart, Ga., arrived at Joint Base Balad, Iraq, approximately 11 months ago to relieve the 15th Special Troops Battalion out of Fort Hood, Texas, in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn.
Led by Lt. Col. Heidi Hoyle, commander of the 3rd STB and a Bay City, Mich., native, along with Command Sgt. Maj. Anthony D. Whitney of the 3rd STB and a native of Wells, Minn., the 3rd STB assumed authority of the human resources and finance missions in Iraq.
Eleven months later, as the Hell Raisers raised up to go home, many soldiers with the 77th STB say the torch was passed along smoothly and they are ready to keep it burning.
“It was a smooth transition, because we have been talking to our counterparts since July of last year,” said Lt. Col. Russell D. Rogers, the commander of the 77th STB, and a Marion, S.C., native. “I have 100 percent confidence in my unit getting the mission accomplished. The biggest mission is to get our soldiers home safe while we accomplish the other missions.”
Many soldiers of the 3rd STB are ecstatic about going home. They are proud of their accomplishments during their deployment and full of plans for when they return home. For the most part, they are grateful to be on their way home safe.
“We are all returning home safely,” said Spc. Ryan Haynes, a lead driver of the personnel security team with the 3 STB and a native of Radford, Va. “We didn’t lose anyone so I’d say we had a successful mission. I am just ready to go home and meet my family and friends to eat at our favorite restaurant.”
The 3rd STB has soldiers deployed throughout Afghanistan and Kuwait and has been the subject of over 50 transfer of authority ceremonies throughout its rotations. Due to the constant need of human resources and finance during the drawdown, the Hell Raisers have had a busy schedule during their deployment.
“The uniqueness with having the human resources and finance support mission is it is going to be needed all the way until the end,” Hoyle said. “These soldiers have been constantly successfully accomplishing the mission since they arrived and still are.”
The 3rd STB learned many things during the deployment and they applied it toward the mission.
“I reflect on the command sergeant major conducting both Reserve and active-duty promotion boards or the [communication and information management team] learning how to work with contractors to complete and prioritize trouble tickets,” Hoyle said. “The staff, under the expert leadership of Maj. Koehler, embraced jointness and the multi-component nature of our forces.”
The Hell Raisers have raised the standard and have set the example for the 77th STB to follow as they finish the drawdown of forces in Iraq. Many troops with the 3rd STB say the camaraderie and the efforts of soldiers were the reasons the mission was a success.
“Our team was successful because of the relationships we have built both up and down,” Hoyle said. “It was successful because the personal curiosity of each member of the team. The professionalism of each soldier team and the leadership of those who lead us is the reason for our success.”
| Date Taken: | 04.08.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 04.10.2011 03:47 |
| Story ID: | 68512 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE BALAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 129 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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