Secretary of the Army visits 2ID Soldiers

By Staff Sgt. Aaron P. Duncan (2nd Combat Aviation Brigade Public Affairs)March 8, 2013

Secretary of the Army visits 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade
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Secretary of the Army visits 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade
2 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Command Sgt. Maj. Derrick Merriwether, the senior enlisted advisor for 3rd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade, presents the Secretary of the Army, Honorable John McHugh, with a ceremonial unit coin while the battalion's exe... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Secretary of the Army visits 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade
3 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Capt. Margie L. Battle describes the mentorship program she helped create with 1st Sgt. Valanteen K. Skilang, the commander and 1st Sgt. of E. Company, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment respectively, to the Secretary of Army, Honorable John McHugh... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Secretary of the Army visits 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade
4 / 5 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Secretary of the Army, Honorable John McHugh shakes hands with Staff Sgt. Peter Crouch, an UH-60 helicopter mechanic in the 2nd (Assault) Battalion, 2nd Aviation Regiment, 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade, during his visit to Camp Humphreys on Aug 18. Cro... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Secretary of the Army visits 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade
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CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea (August 18, 2012) - A small bus comes to a halt in front of a pair of large, open bay doors. The police escorts silently flash their lights as a middle-aged man in a blue jacket and khakis steps out and is immediately surrounded by the senior members of the 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade.

As the man's personal security fans out across the aviation hanger, the Soldiers waiting in front of the helicopter display know this is the man they have been waiting for.

The Honorable John McHugh visited Soldiers at the 2nd CAB "Super Hanger" during an Aug. 18th trip to address Camp Humphreys' leadership. The Secretary of the Army may not be a movie star or famous musician, but for Soldiers, he is indeed a celebrity.

"I have to admit, I was a little bit nervous to meet him," said Staff Sgt. Peter Crouch, a native of Glendale, Ore., who is an UH-60 helicopter mechanic in the 2nd (Assault) Battalion, 2nd Aviation Regiment, 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade.

Select Soldiers from every battalion were positioned in front of equipment representative of their units and McHugh took the time to greet each Soldier and present them with a coin, expressing his gratitude.

While most are assigned to Camp Humphreys, some of the Soldiers from 2nd (Assault) Battalion came from K-16 Air Base near Seoul. Crouch was one of the Soldiers who made the hour-long drive to be present for the rainy Saturday morning visit.

Crouch was given the honor of meeting McHugh for the role he played in intervening in a recent suicide attempt of a Soldier.

Suicides are the most common form of death in the Army, according to Gen. Ray Odierno, the Army Chief of Staff, in a recent interview with USA Today.

The Secretary of the Army and Lt. Gen. Johnson[the 8th Army Commanding General ] told me good job this is what we were talking about when we want people who see signs of suicide to step forward and do something about it," said Crouch.

Spc. Jacob T. Alexander, a petroleum supply specialist originally from Hendersonville, N.C., with Company E, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Aviation Regiment, also got the opportunity to meet McHugh.

Many people do not get the opportunity to meet him so I thought it was an honor for me to be able to do so, said Alexander.

After meeting with the Soldiers of 2nd CAB, McHugh concluded his two-day trip by visiting U.S. and ROK military leaders from across the peninsula, experiencing our alliance first-hand.

"As the U.S. military shifts greater focus to this vital region, this visit was a great opportunity for Secretary McHugh to see the significant contribution that 8th Army makes toward the defense of the Republic of Korea," said 8th Army Commanding General, Lt. Gen. John D. Johnson, according to an 8th Army press release on McHugh's visit to South Korea. "Our modern equipment, interoperability with our ROK allies and the quality of our leaders and Soldiers serve to deter aggression from North Korea with its history of violent provocations and pursuit of weapons of mass destruction."