Often, soldiers of the V.I. National Guard are singled out for praise. But on Friday, the circle of honor was enlarged as wives, mothers, children, special supporters and members of the VING 661st Military Police Company were all honored in the Freedom Salute Campaign ceremony.
The Freedom Salute Campaign is one of the largest Army National Guard recognition endeavors. It is designed to publicly acknowledge guardsmen and those who supported them during Operations Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom.
State Commander Sgt. Maj. Mona Barnes emphasized that soldiers wouldn’t be able to perform their duties if families didn’t stand behind them, and if they didn’t know their families were receiving the care they needed.
The VING Military Police unit supported a Multi-National Task Force peace mission at Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo. In August 2009, 102 St. Croix and St. Thomas soldiers were mobilized in the year-long mission.
The family members of the soldiers beamed with pride as they climbed the stairs to the stage at the St. Croix Educational Complex auditorium and went center stage. They were given tokens of appreciation for the sacrifices they made during the deployment. The young children walked proudly across the stage and were thanked by officials.
Each soldier received an American flag, a sequentially numbered commemorative coin, a "Defender of Freedom" certificate, and a lapel insignia. If the soldier had a spouse or young family member, the spouse received a National Guard Team member lapel pin, and the child received a Future Soldier Kit, which included a board game.
According to Master Sgt. Karen D. Williams, the leadership recognized that how an organization treats its people is a direct reflection of the values held by the organization. Not only does soldier recognition directly impact recruiting, but it affects soldier retention as well.
Adjutant General Major General Renaldo Rivera said when he made his promised trip to Kosovo, everywhere he went he heard VING soldiers did an outstanding job.
Delegate Donna Christensen also thanked the families and supporters. Also present was former Sen.Verden Brown, civilian aide to the Secretary of the Army.
Refreshments were served by the Family Readiness Group that gives support to VING families. A similar ceremony is also planned for St. Thomas.
The U.S. headquarters at Camp Bondsteel is in southeast Kosovo and built on 750 acres of former farmland. The camp was established in June 1999 as staging points for the bulk of U.S. forces stationed in the Multi National Brigade-East.
