FORT STEWART, Ga. – More than 230 Soldiers of the Georgia Army National Guard were welcomed Sunday by their units of assignment during a battle handoff ceremony at Fort Stewart, Georgia.
“It is truly an honor to be here to welcome the newest warriors into the Georgia Army National Guard,” said Brig. Gen. Randall Simmons, commander of the Georgia Army National Guard. “(We) can’t thank you enough for being a part of the best National Guard in the country. Even more, we can’t thank your families enough for the sacrifices they will bear for your military service.”
The battle handoff ceremony marks the transition of Soldiers from the recruit sustainment program to their unit of assignment. In addition to completing their basic combat training and individual training, the Soldiers have completed all administrative and medical clearance and are ready to assume their duties at their new units from day one. The Georgia Army National Guard has recruit sustainment programs in Albany, Atlanta, Augusta, Cumming, Ellenwood, Macon, Rome and Savannah.
At the beginning of the ceremony, the Soldiers marched into the Newman Fitness Center in a mass formation with cadence punctuated by thunderous boot falls. Simmons and State Command Sgt. Major Jeff Logan presented awards to Soldiers who exceeded training standards in physical fitness by scoring 270 out of a possible 300 points with a minimum of 90 in each event. Soldiers who were honor graduates of their basic training or advanced individual training classes were presented with the Army Achievement Medal.
In his remarks following the awards presentation, Simmons thanked family members in attendance, then addressed the new Soldiers.
“By joining our formation, you have not only joined the military, but you are now a part of a special class in our society: The Warrior Class,” said Simmons.
Representatives of the Georgia Army National Guard’s five brigades stepped forward to receive the new Soldiers into their commands. Soldiers assigned to the 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team were called first. As the names were called, each Soldier shouted the brigade motto “Send Me” and sprinted to join the 48th IBCT formation. This process was repeated for the 648th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, 78th Troop Command, 201st Regional Support Group 78th Aviation Troop Command and Statesboro-based Georgia Southern University Cadet Detachment.
Once all troops had been assigned, commanders took charge of their individual formations, and leaders began to brief their new Soldiers. Lt. Col. Grant Minor, commander of the Macon-based 148th Brigade Support Battalion, welcomed more than 100 Soldiers into the 48th Infantry Brigade. As Minor spoke to the newest volunteers, many of the brigade’s Soldiers remain on duty in Afghanistan as part of the brigade’s fourth combat deployment since Sept. 11, 2001.
“You are in an Infantry Brigade Combat Team and we expect your physical fitness to be high, very high,” said Minor. “I want you to be successful and get promoted. But I can’t promote you if you don’t go to school and I can’t send you to school if you are not fit, so it is on you to take charge of your own fitness and career progression.”
Throughout the gym, Soldiers met their new squad leaders and platoon sergeants and received instructions on reporting to drill. Staff Sgt. Matthias Moore welcomed Soldiers to the Cumming-based 420th Signal Company. Pvt. 1st Class Kosal Chan, Pvt. Abigail Demoah, Pfc. Kenji Patterson and Pvt. Lawrence Hightower were ushered into the well-traveled unit which has completed overseas training missions in Korea and Romania and responded to domestic emergencies, most recently Hurricane Michael.
“I’m excited to get started,” said Hightower, of Atlanta, who will serve as a multichannel transmission systems operator-maintainer.
The Guard members will serve in 46 different career fields. Four out of 10 will serve in combat arms as combat engineers, infantrymen, and in the field artillery. Others will provide vital support in logistics, transportation, military police and human resources. Still others will enter technical careers in signal, intelligence, chemical and medical fields. They will serve in nearly 27 different units from Toccoa in the north to Valdosta in the south.
In his closing remarks, Simmons praised the Soldiers for their decision to serve.
“If military service was easy more people would raise their hand and say, ‘send me,’” said Simmons. “Less than one half of one percent serve in uniform today to defend things like life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. You are the guardians that protect the freedoms and the way of life we enjoy in this great country.”