Latham-based 206th New York Army National Guard honored at Freedom Salute Ceremony
Following a year of peacekeeping missions in Iraq, more than 160 members of the Latham-based 206th New York Army National Guard Military Police Company gathered at the Desmond Hotel on Sunday, Sept. 12, for the Freedom Salute Campaign, one of the largest Army National Guard events in its history.
The 206th was deployed in August 2009 to Basra, Iraq, to help train Iraqi police officers and provide security for the parliamentary elections, which were held in March, according to a press release. The end of combat missions in Iraq was announced this summer.
Most of the soldiers at the Desmond had their family members in tow. They received an encased American Flag, a lapel insignia, a commemorative coin and a certificate of appreciation from the Army National Guard. They also received a Future Soldier Footlocker Kit for their children.
The afternoon brought a sense of relief for many of the soldiers as several guest speakers hailed their mission as a successful one. Maj. Gen. Patrick Murphy congratulated the men and women of the 206th for their work in Iraq and said that their success not only led to a transition home but a transition in Iraq as well.
We’re here to celebrate a successful deployment, he said in his speech. `It was a mission that led to a transition ` ‘New Dawn.’`
New Dawn is the name of the mission that follows Operation Iraqi Freedom, the combat mission. The new mission focuses on fostering stability in the transition from military occupation to an Iraqi-led government.
Lt. Col. Charles Buxton of the 203rd Military Police Company based in Athens, Ala., came to New York to participate in the Freedom Salute because he worked closely with the 206th.
`My battalion had responsibility for establishing Iraqi police leadership in the Basra province,` he said. `We were also responsible for providing command and control for the two MP companies located to the south of Baghdad. The 206th were one of the companies we had in Basra, along with my battalion headquarters.`
He added they were in charge of securing the operation center in Basra and maintaining a presence at the prevention joint coordination center.
`Shortly after we got into mission, we realized one of the areas ` one of the police districts they were partnering with ` was a very dangerous place. A huge insurgent hotbed,` said Buxton. `So we went ahead and backed them out of that mission.`
The 206th also provided security detail for Buxton over most of Southern Iraq and the airfields he needed to get to.
Twin brothers from Colonie, Staff Sgt.s Anthony and Nicholas Isbro, both 21, said much of their time spent in Iraq was interacting with Iraqi security and civilians.
`At this point in the war, we’re trying to give the city back to the Iraqi police,` said Nicholas. `So, it wasn’t too much actual combat. It wasn’t too hectic.`
Anthony said it was predominantly a peace-keeping mission and relationship development and added that it was more mentally draining than anything else.
`You guard a gate for an amount of hours at a time,` Anthony said. `You didn’t want to get too comfortable with your surroundings because at any moment anyone can attack. We always had to stay on guard, and it’s very hard when you’re sitting around for hours. It was very easy to get relaxed.`
When the announcement came for the soldiers that the combat mission in Iraq had ended, the brothers said they were quite happy that the stress of war would be ending and that they could return home to their own beds.
`It was finally a weight off the shoulders,` said Anthony. `Every single day, even though it was pretty calm for the most part, you always had that ‘What if?’ in the back of your mind, like, ‘What if something this day is going to happen to either me or one of the guys.’`
Nicholas said they were notified of their deployment a year in advance, which is why he called it a `two-year experience.` He added that it was very helpful having his brother around as it made coping with being over there easier.
The brothers, who also have an older brother serving overseas, said their deployment was hard on their mother.
`We have a strong mother,` said Anthony.
`We felt really bad doing this to her,` said Nicholas, `but we felt we had to serve.`
The brother said they have two years left with the New York Army National Guard Military Police Company. Anthony is attending Hudson Valley Community College in dental hygiene and Nicholas is attending the same school to be a paramedic.
The transition home for them was rough because it took them out of their routine, but they said they were able to finally settle in.
`You miss the routine, you miss the steady income, you miss the job security and you miss the camaraderie,` said Anthony. `For the first month or so you don’t feel like you’re home for good, you always feel like, ‘OK, when do I have to put this uniform back on.’ After a couple of months you’re like, ‘OK, this is real. I’m finally home for good.’ It takes awhile to settle in after living that lifestyle for a year straight.`
Town of Colonie Deputy Supervisor Nancy Hernandez attended the ceremony to pay her respects to the men and women who served in Iraq. She said she was happy to see all of the soldiers come back safely.
`To see the pride in what they do and the fact that they took on this calling and went straight ahead and take on this task to assist Iraqi police develop their skills, certainly for our protection as well, but to build a relationship that this country is trying to mend and develop with that country as times are very difficult ` it just gives me more of a patriotic feel,` she said. `I’m glad I’m here to witness this.`
Buxton said the importance of the Freedom Salute Ceremony is to warmly welcome home the soldiers ` something that not all returning veterans through the decades experienced.
`My dad was a Vietnam veteran, two tours in Vietnam, and looking back at the Korean veterans and the Vietnam veterans, there was no welcome home for them, there was no ceremony, there was nothing to help them reintegrate back into society,` said Buxton. `The Freedom Salute is a beautiful ceremony. It’s a great recognition of a soldier’s service and a spouse’s sacrifice. So when I get a chance to come up and participate in one of my unit’s Freedom Salute ceremonies, I darn sure do. It’s that important.`
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