Washington, D.C. - Massachusetts National Guard members were recognized Tuesday by the chief of staff of the Army during a ceremony at the Association of the United States Army Eisenhower Luncheon at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center here.
Lt. Col. Ron Cupples, commander, 1st Battalion, 182nd Infantry Regiment, Massachusetts Army National Guard and senior enlisted adviser, Command Sgt. Maj. Greg Widberg, accepted the Walter T. Kerwin Jr. Readiness Award, presented by Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, chief of staff, U.S. Army, on behalf of the Soldiers of the 182nd.
The Kerwin Award, which is open to Army National Guard and Army Reserve battalions, is presented to the battalion with the highest level of readiness in its respective component. In order to be considered each battalion must have been rated as having superior performance in eight specific areas as well as meeting other criteria.
The Kerwin award honors General Walter T. Kerwin Jr., former vice chief of staff, U.S. Army, and was jointly created by AUSA, the National Guard Association of the United States and the Reserve Officers Association of the United States.