Fort honors those who deployed alone

Sierra Vista Herald, Sierra Vista Arizona ^ | Bill Hess

[SandRat]

Maj. Danny Salter stands by while Maj. Gen. Barbara Fast chats with his sons, James, 5, left, and Will, 7. Salter and 27 others were honored during a welcome home ceremony Friday at Fitch Auditorium in Alvarado Hall. (Mark Levy-Herald/Review)

Herald/Review

FORT HUACHUCA — Although there is a tendency to denigrate Iraqi soldiers, Maj. Danny B. Salter advises against doing that.

After spending more than a year in Iraq as the operations officer for a Military Transition Team, Salter said the 17-, 18- and 19-year-olds willing to enlist in the Iraqi Army are stepping up to defend their nation. And the young Iraqis are not being placed in segregated units based on what Muslim sect or ethnic group they belong to, Salter said.

“They are training together because they want to defend Iraq,” he said.

Salter and 25 other soldiers on the post were welcomed home Friday at a quarterly ceremony to applaud individuals who have deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan and have returned in the past three months.

Friday’s event was the third held on post, part of a program started by Maj. Gen. Barbara Fast, commander of the Intelligence Center and the fort.

Saying she started the recognition program to welcome home those who did not deploy with units, which usually have large return ceremonies, Fast said those who deploy individually do the same important work the units do.

Regardless of what is happening in the United States today with Congress, the White House and the press talking about the Iraqi situation, the general said America’s armed forces will do the mission, whatever decision is made.

“Soldiers will do what the Army says and we’ll do it without asking (questions),” Fast said.

Soldiers from Fort Huachuca who have deployed as individuals to Iraq and Afghanistan cover a wide number of specialties, including communications, intelligence, test and developing, military police, and dental units.

Two “zero nine limas” also deployed from the post, Fast said, referring to native speakers who work as interpreters in Iraq.

Because of the sensitivity of their job, the two soldiers from the post who provided that type of expertise cannot be identified by name or photos.

Besides the two, 21 soldiers deployed to Iraq and three to Afghanistan.

“Welcome home to all of you,” Fast said. She also praised the families for their support during their loved ones sojourns in the two countries.

After the official ceremony where each GI received a certificate of appreciation, there was a reception line in the foyer of Alvarado Hall with members of the audience — primarily fellow soldiers — shaking hands with the returnees.

It was a little difficult at times for Salter to shake hands.

His two sons, William, 7, and James, 5, held tightly on to his hands as his wife, Linda, watched.

During his slightly more than a year in Iraq, the major was involved in training members of the 1st, 2nd, 5th, 7th and 10th Divisions Motor Transport Regiments and the 3rd Brigade of the 9th Iraqi Army Mechanized Division.

The Iraqi Army units include Shia, Sunni and Kurds, as well as other ethnic groups and faiths, he said.

Iraq has a small Christian community.

While there has been press about young recruits being targeted by insurgents, Salter said the main targets are officers, especially the senior ones, and their families.

One problem that still must be addressed in the training programs is developing a more professional noncommissioned officer corps, the major said.

If future plans bring more Iraqi Army units and American ones into joint operations, Salter said he believes they will work well together.

The Iraqi military wants to take their nation back from the insurgents, he said.

To make the Iraqi soldiers even better will mean more meaningful basic training, specialized training for different jobs and a dedicated leadership of officers and NCOs, Salter said.

SENIOR REPORTER Bill Hess can be reached at 515-4615 or by e-mail at bill.hess@svherald.com.

[SandRat]

WOO-HOO!!!!

[GodBlessUSA]

[Kathy in Alaska]

Welcome home, Maj Salter and your 25 fellow soldiers!
Thank you for your service to our country!!

[expatpat]

Denigration of the military is not new, of course. Here's the first verse of Kipling's poem "Tommy" ('Tommy' is slang for a soldier):

I went into a public-'ouse to get a pint o' beer,
The publican 'e up an' sez, "We serve no red-coats here."
The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die,
I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I:
O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, go away";
But it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play,
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play.