The 13th Expeditionary Sustainment Command, the 13th Corps Support Command Association and community partners kick off their 51st birthday with a weeklong celebration Monday-Sept. 23. Planned events include a half marathon and 5K run, Brig. Gen. Terry Hildner Memorial golf tournament, a family fun run and a memorial rededication to honor the memory of Soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving with the 13th since 9/11.
The birthday celebration was started to bring 13th ESC Soldiers, Families and members of the local community together to celebrate and honor the 13th ESC history and remember the fallen Soldiers of the unit.
The 13th ESC was activated in September 1965 at Fort Hood as the 13th Support Brigade. As the nation's involvement in Vietnam increased, it was tasked with training technical services units to assume combat service support missions in Southeast Asia.
The mission of the 13th ESC evolved over the years due to transformations and operation requirements of the Army. In 1980 the unit was re-designated as the 13th Support Command (Corps), then as the 13th COSCOM in March 1989. The 13th ESC was reflagged in its current configuration on Feb. 16, 2006.
The 13th COSCOM Association, a non-profit organization, was created by veterans of the 13th ESC to support the unit.
This year, a half marathon and 5K run were added to the events for Soldiers and Family members. Sgt. 1st Class Jose Solis, the noncommissioned officer-in-charge of the 13th ESC surgeon cell, who has been with the unit for more than four years organized the runs.
"I wanted to help Soldiers with running, which led to creating an event to motivate Soldiers to run," Solis said. "The event would give Soldiers something to work toward with training, competition and building resiliency."
The birthday week celebration will culminate with a rededication ceremony of the 13th ESC Memorial and cake cutting at 10 a.m. Sept. 23 at Hildner Field.
For more information about the celebration, checkout the 13th COSCOM Association page at http://13cca.org/13th-sustainment-command-expeditionary-birthday-week-2016/.
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