Photo By Lt. Col. Deidre Smith | Members of the 380th Engineer Support Company, U.S. Army Reserves, Greenville, Miss.,...... read more read more
CAMP SHELBY, Miss- The U. S. Army Reserve’s 380th Engineer Support Company headquartered in Greenville, Miss., returned home Nov. 28. They arrived at Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center to be welcomed by Brig. Gen. Douglas R. Satterfield, deputy commander, 412th Theater Engineer Command, family and friends.
The unit deployed to Iraq earlier this year in support of Operation New Dawn, where they supported the mission of United States Forces in Iraq by maintaining and supporting Iraqi transportation infrastructure and providing horizontal engineer support to coalition contingency out bases, or COBs, through the construction of defensive positions and public works facilities.
A key element of their mission was route sanitation, which involved the clearing of trash, debris and obstacles on roadways in order to deny enemy forces the placement of improvised explosive devices, or IEDs. The large amount of IED recoveries recently in Iraq are greatly attributed to the efforts of the 380th ESC, ensuring the freedom of maneuver for U.S. and Coalition Forces traveling along main and alternate supply routes throughout the Iraq Joint Operational Area.
The unit participated in approximately 76 missions inside and outside of the wire to include 30 Combined Arms missions where they accompanied infantry troops to accomplish a mission.
“The morale is very high,” said 1st Lt. Eli Candelaria, commander of the 380th Engineer Support Company, upon the soldiers arriving home.
The family members were ecstatic to see their loved ones come home, especially five-month-old Rachel Kronberg and mom Brandi of Brandon, Miss., as they waited for Spc. Brandon Kronberg to arrive home.
“I am very excited that he is coming home. I missed him very much,” said Brandi about her husband’s return. “We have a two year old boy, Lucas, and he is glad his daddy is coming home.”
Dad (Brandon) was just as excited to see his family and hold his five-month old daughter.
“It is great to be able to hold her again. I only got to spend a week with her after she was born. It brings great joy to my heart to see her again,” said Brandon as he held his daughter Rachel for the first time in five months.
Soldiers of the 380th ESC will spend the next few days out processing at CSJFTC in Hattiesburg, then travel home to Greenville to be released from duty to family and friends.
| Date Taken: | 11.28.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 11.29.2011 13:36 |
| Story ID: | 80671 |
| Location: | CAMP SHELBY, MISSISSIPPI, US |
| Web Views: | 269 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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