On Wednesday, May 28th 2014, one of the last remaining active duty Avenger/Sentinel Batteries successfully deactivated in a ceremony at Fort Bliss, TX. Echo Battery of 2-43 Air Defense Artillery Battalion, 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, formed up for the final time to roll up the guidon, leaving behind a legacy full of rich military history.
Echo was a Patriot Battery during Operation Iraqi Freedom and successfully shot down the first SCUD Missile of the conflict, saving potentially hundreds of civilians and U.S. Soldiers' lives in the process. In 2009 and again in 2011, after Echo's conversion to a Short Range Air Defense Battery, they participated in two successful Forward Operating Base (FOB) defense deployments to Afghanistan.
In 2013, as plans for deactivation became finalized, Echo transitioned from a war fighting unit, to a Battery focused on equipment turn-in and on preparing its Soldiers and Families for transition to other units. Over the last year Echo Battery successfully transferred hundreds of pieces of equipment, to include all Avengers and Sentinels, out of the unit. This was a challenging task, which required the full attention and focus of the entire Battery. The 2-43 ADA Battalion Commander, Lt. Col. Robin Woody said, "It was an honor to have Echo in the Warrior Battalion, even though Echo was pending deactivation, the Soldiers continued to stay qualified on core requirements, and make a positive impact on El Paso with an outstanding commitment to community service. "
Echo's Soldiers were active participants in the Fort Bliss community outreach program as well as volunteering at Ross Middle School. "We had a great group of Soldiers who really took the task of getting Echo deactivated on time very personally," said Echo Battery's Commander, Capt. Michael Jones. He went on to say, "Capt. Dewayne Abbott (Echo Battery Executive Officer), Staff Sgt. Terry Jackson (Supply Sergeant), Spc. Franklin Parks (Supply Clerk), and Spc. Taylor Burt (Supply Clerk) all worked extremely hard to get all our equipment turned in on time." The original deactivation deadline was set for the fall of 2014, but because of the fast pace of equipment turn-ins that Echo established, that deadline was moved up to the end of May 2014. "With the Officers, NCOs, and Soldiers in Echo, we could have accomplished any mission assigned to us with this group," said Echo Battery 1st Sgt. Cedric Covington. With Echo's deactivation, 2-43 ADA will now be a "Patriot pure" Battalion moving forward, no longer having any Short Range Air Defense assets.
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