Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Sharon McBride | CAMP VICTORY - Spc. Jason L. Woodruff with Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment,...... read more read more
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By Sgt. 1st Class Sharon G. McBride
40th PAD
With the symbolic lowering of the U.S. and Kuwait national flags, a camp which was recently the temporary home to thousands of service members called to duty in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, is no longer in business.
Just four months ago, the bustling re-deployment camp had two dining facilities, a post exchange, ample troop housing, and a food court. Now all that is left on the desert horizon is three, lone flag poles. Everything else, in anticipation of the camp's final closure which is scheduled to happen sometime in August, has been torn down and cleared out.
"Our goal is to return this land back over to the government of Kuwait better than we received it," said Lt. Col. John H. Edwards Jr., Camp Victory commander, during the ceremony. The last unit to call the camp home, the 206th Chemical Battalion with the Kentucky National Guard, is in charge of the clean-up. The unit will head home to a heroes" welcome soon after the area is handed back to the Kuwaitis.
"For many years our countries have worked together against tyranny as a united force," said Maj. Gen. James Kelley, Third Army deputy commanding general, at the ceremony. "We fought side by side to help liberate Kuwait. We fought side by side against Saddam Hussein, and today we continue to fight side by side against terrorism.
"Our bond continues to grow stronger every day as we continue to work with each other and return areas like Camp Victory to the Kuwaiti military," he said.
As a redeployment camp located in the northern part of Kuwait, units would stage there in preparation to return their home bases throughout the world. In 2005, at its peak the camp provided life support up to 20,000 re-deploying troops a day, said Edwards.
The Kuwaiti government has been very generous is providing land and resources since the early days of Operation Iraqi Freedom, he said.
"Thank you for all you have done and will do in the future to secure our freedom and stability throughout the Middle East," said Kelly in his closing remarks.
Camp Victory is one of many camps that are scheduled to be turned back over to Kuwait government in the near future, said Kelley.
| Date Taken: | 07.11.2006 |
| Date Posted: | 07.11.2006 11:37 |
| Story ID: | 7117 |
| Location: | KW |
| Web Views: | 426 |
| Downloads: | 21 |
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