Saying goodbye
Sunday, March 4, 2007 12:08 AM PST
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| Andrew cutler | Argus observer
Members of Ontario’s Alpha Company, 3rd Battalion, 116th Cavalry stand at attention on the field of Eastern Oregon University Community Stadium. Alpha Company, along with 400 other soldiers of the battalion, were honored with a mobilization ceremony Wednesday. A standing room only crowd packed the bleachers and Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski bid the citizen-soldiers farewell. |
Pat Caldwell Argus Observer
La Grande
They came from Ontario and Baker City, Pendleton, Hermiston and The Dalles and under a deep blue summer sky area residents said goodbye to their National Guard unit at Eastern Oregon University Wednesday morning.
More than 400 citizen-soldiers from Eastern Oregon’s 3rd Battalion, 116th Cavalry stood under a hot June sun at Eastern Oregon University’s Community Stadium during the unit’s official mobilization ceremony.
Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski, along with Guard officers and officials, were on hand for the local send-off — the first for the region’s Guard unit since World War II.
Lt. Col. Dan McCabe, commander of the 3rd Battalion, presented Kulongoski with a souvenir of the 3rd Battalion’s guidon — or battle flag — to be situated at the state capital until the unit returns from Iraq.
“I understand the sacrifices you are making. When I see your guidon I will pray for your safe return. We will welcome you back — and soon,” Kulongoski told the assembled soldiers and the near-capacity crowd packed into the stadium bleachers.
Kulongoski, who has presided over more Guard mobilizations than any other Oregon governor since World War II, told the soldiers and their families they represent the best part of Oregon.
“Do great things and do not forget you are the best this state has to offer,” he said.
Along with Kulongoski, Oregon National Guard acting Adjutant General, Brig. Gen. Raymond C. Byrne Jr., along with the commander of the 116th Brigade, Brig. Gen. Alan C. Gayhart also gave short speeches at the ceremony.
For McCabe the ceremony was bittersweet.
“I’m glad we could put together this kind of ceremony for the soldiers and their families. But I wish we were all meeting here in this stadium under different circumstances. This is truly an historic event and I feel humbled that I have the privilege to lead these men and women on this deployment,” McCabe said.
The 3rd Battalion will join more than 4,000 other Guardsmen from seven states at Fort Bliss, Texas this weekend where they will train to prepare for a deployment overseas.
Historic overtones were hard to miss at the ceremony. A mounted color guard, consisting of four stout, bay horses brought the American and Oregon state flags down the center of the battalion formation — a scene reminiscent of the 3rd Battalion’s days as a cavalry unit.
Also, a sizable alumni of former and retired 3rd Battalion soldiers were also at the ceremony, including 82-year-old Baker City resident Don Clark.
Clark joined Eastern Oregon’s National Guard unit just before World War II and eventually retired as a Captain.Clark said the mobilization ceremony brought back plenty of memories.
“We did not have anything like this (when mobilized). We marched down to the train and then took off,” he said.
Kulongoski said any mobilization ceremony holds special significance. In the past year, the first-term democrat has attended more and more services for departing Oregon Guard units. So far, there are three major Oregon National Guard units — about 700 soldiers — serving in Iraq.
Kulongoski has also made it a point during his administration to attend as many funerals of slain Oregon soldiers — both active duty and Reservists — as possible. Last month four Oregon National Guardsmen were slain in Iraq.
Bidding citizen-soldiers goodbye, he said, is never an easy task.
“It is very difficult. It gets more and more difficult every time,” he said.
Kulongoski said the sacrifice made by Guardsmen across the state should not be overlooked.
“You don’t know the price paid by these soldiers to be over there,” he said.
Gayhart, who left Fort Bliss where a large contingent of the 116th Brigade is already training, said there are a number of critical goals for the brigade’s soldiers, including one above all others.
“I want to bring every soldier home — alive and well,” Gayhart said.
