Baylor Hosts Ceremony For Returning Texas National Guard Soldiers
To the cheers of about 1,500 family members and friends, more than 170 Texas Army National Guardsmen of the 124th Cavalry Squadron were honored Feb. 13 in the Ferrell Center after serving more than a year in Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
The best news was that all of the deployed troops returned home safely. At the conclusion of the ceremony, the soldiers were dismissed from their active duty.
Based in Waco, the 124th Cavalry includes soldiers from Corsicana. The squadron is part of the historic 36th Infantry Division, Texas National Guard, which was re-activated in July 2004. The soldiers served in Diyala Province, northeast of Baghdad, as part of the 89th Military Police Brigade from Fort Hood. The soldiers were trained as military policemen at Fort Dix, N.J., for two months before going to Iraq, where their duties included convoy and area security, force protection operations and providing security for the historic Iraqi election.
Speakers included Lt. Gen. Wayne D. Marty, Adjutant General of Texas; Maj. Gen. Michael H. Taylor, 36th Infantry Division commander; and U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards, D-17th District. Members of the 124th Cavalry Squadron's Family Support Group also received special recognition for their outstanding service.
Photos by Clifford S. Cheney IV, Baylor Photography