Published: March 05, 2008 03:54 pm            

Local soldiers called to serve

March 5, 2008 — As the Company B 201st Engineer Battalion of the Kentucky National Guards prepared Sunday for overseas deployment to Afghanistan, the troops got a rare opportunity to meet a Congressional Medal of Honor recipient at a going-away ceremony.

The formal procedure took place at the Olive Hill Armory as hundreds of family, friends and loved ones presented numerous standing ovations to the soldiers of the 201st.

First to stand and speak was Earnest West, Korean War Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient from Russell, who offered the troops some advice to take along with them during their deployment.

“Pick you a buddy and take him with you wherever you go,” he said. “If you get into trouble you have that buddy to be with you in times of trouble. The two of you must stay together at all cost. You will take care of each other…You honor your country and we certainly honor you. Good luck to each and every one of you until you all return safely home. It’s been a great privilege to meet all of you.”

During the ceremony 1st Lt. Joe Slone and Staff Sgt. Brian Thomas received promotions and were honorably pinned by West. Slone was promoted to first lieutenant and Thomas was promoted to Sgt. 1st Class.

Although he won’t be accompanying his fellow soldiers to Afghanistan, retiring Staff Sgt. Russell Jones of Grayson was pulled from the audience and given a plaque for his 36 years of service with the 201st Engineer Battalion.

Carter County Judge Executive Charles Wallace was among the officials to sit on the stage and said he was pleased with the turnout of community support. “It’s great to see so many come out and see these troops off,” he commented. “They are bravely going away to serve our country and we all have to support and let them know we care for them.”

Comprised of more than 450 soldiers and commanded by Lt. Col. Michael Ferguson, the battalion is made up of units from Ashland, Olive Hill, Cynthiana and Prestonsburg. The troops will head to Ft. McCoy, Wisconsin, March 9, for approximately two months for additional mission-related training, prior to deployment to Afghanistan. The tour is expected to last until March 2009. While in Afghanistan, the unit’s primary mission will be road cleaning and construction, removing obstacles and ensuring main supply routes remain open.

        

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