Site Essentials
- » Site Introduction
- » Comment Policy
- » Stryker Brigade 101
- » FAQ
- » Thank The Troops
- » Support Our Site
- » Contact Us
- » Terms & Conditions
In Memoriam
Browse Archives
Search Archives
Subscribe to SBN
Browse Our Shop
Awards
MOSUL, Iraq - All across northern Iraq, Soldiers from 3rd Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division (Stryker Brigade Combat Team) stepped forward to be recognized for their service to Operation Iraqi Freedom in ceremonies held over the past two weeks. The men and women of the Arrowhead Brigade received their combat patches, and infantrymen and medics in the unit were awarded with Combat Infantrymen Badges and Combat Medic Badges. Everyone who served in the brigade or attached to the brigade since they entered Iraq is eligible for the patch, according Maj. Keith Markham, the brigade adjutant. "This ceremony is to recognize the Soldiers' accomplishments here in Iraq," said Command Sgt. Major Jeffrey Du, the brigade command sergeant major.
Du received his first combat patch and combat infantryman badge after more than 25 years of military service. "It's a great honor to be able to participate in one ceremony where I'm also a member of the company," said Col. Michael Rounds, the 3rd Brigade commander. The brigade, deployed since November, served with the 4th Infantry Division in Samarra during its first month in Iraq and helped clear the region of insurgents. The unit serves as part of Task Force Olympia here in northern Iraq.
During each ceremony, the announcer explained the significance of the patch. Units first wore patches during World War I that denoted which command unit each Soldier served under, said Markham. According to the unit's history, the distinctive star and Indianhead patch came as a result of a contest to determine the logo for supply trains that supported the division. The two pieces of the logo came from the first- and second-place winners. For those who see members of the brigade, the familiar Indianhead patch will greet them with the Indian that faces forward on both shoulders.
"We have forward facing patches because you don't face back toward the enemy -- you are always advancing," said Markham. The Arrowhead Brigade tour in Iraq marks the first time the unit has fought in combat since World War I and the first major conflict for a division element since the Korean War. "Congratulations to you all," said Rounds. "Wear it proudly.
It is a great honor from a grateful nation." Markham said since the turnover of troops across Iraq, the brigade is now one of the most experienced in the region. Rounds said the patch serves as an indicator of all the hard work the Soldiers of the first Stryker Brigade Combat Team have done in the past four months, but it has come at a price and should be worn as a reminder of that cost. "Wear this in honor of those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country," said Rounds. "We've been baptized by fire and this is a symbol of it," said Markham, who earned his first combat patch with the 1st Infantry Division during Desert Storm.
Release #040315f