FORT SILL, Okla. -- Nearly 500 Soldiers gathered with their senior leaders Feb. 13 in Rinehart Fitness Center at Fort Sill to take part in a significant event in their unit's history.
For the first time since the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Air Defense Artillery's three forward batteries returned to Fort Sill from Turkey in December, the Soldiers were reunited as one unit in a ceremony to uncase the battalion colors.
A time honored tradition, the uncasing ceremony signified the unit's return from deployment and marked the official reunion of the "Lethal Strike" battalion. However, the event was not a traditional uncasing ceremony.
Immediately following the uncasing of the battalion colors, Lt. Col. John Dawber and Command Sgt. Maj. Perry McNeill, 3-2nd ADA commander and CSM respectively, recognized and thanked specific individuals and agencies who volunteered their time and efforts to aid the unit's return home.
Those recognized included family readiness group leaders, spouses and people representing various Fort Sill agencies who helped to successfully reintegrate the Soldiers back into the Fort Sill community. They were each presented a certificate of appreciation from the battalion leaders and Dawber's wife, Jennifer.
The Patriot battalion was divided in December 2012, when three batteries were selected to rapidly deploy to Turkey in support of a NATO mission to defend a Turkish city from possible Syrian missile strikes in the midst of civil war. Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, B Battery and C Battery deployed, while A Battery, D Battery and E Company remained at Fort Sill to form the unit's rear detachment.
"As is expected with any rapid response, this mission presented many challenges; yet our Soldiers gutted it out, pioneering the standard for an air and missile defense expeditionary deployment of this nature and expertly deterring Syrian ballistic missile threats," Dawber said. "Equally critical was the perpetual support received from family members and friends; we can never thank you enough for the cards, letters, care packages and the exceptional welcome home reception."
The ADA unit protected more than 1.7 million citizens of Gaziantep, Turkey, from the threat of Syrian ballistic missiles from February to December 2013 before transferring authority to another Patriot unit in the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command. They returned home just in time for Christmas.
"Through diligence of duty, perseverance, resolve and care for one another, the leaders and Soldiers have demonstrated what is best about this profession of soldiering; and that is the honor to serve with them any time anywhere under any condition," Dawber said. "I thank them and all their families for the endless understanding and sacrifice each has made of the past year."
Following the ceremony, Soldiers and families participated in a reintegration event at the gym, which featured various sports and games, including a chili cook-off.
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