BAGHDAD - Soldiers of 2nd Squadron, 104th Cavalry, reached a deployment milestone March 25.
The cavalry unit, part of the 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Pennsylvania National Guard, was officially awarded their combat patch during a ceremony at Camp Taji, Iraq.
The combat patch is a tradition that dates back to the First World War, when Soldiers would attach their own copies of them to their right shoulder. During World War II, troops were officially authorized to wear this patch on their right sleeve, typically reserved for the United States flag. This was meant to distinguish those Soldiers who had combat experience from those who did not.
"It's an honor to have a "Keystone" on both shoulders because there is a lot of history behind the patch," Staff Sgt. Clint Martin, of Lancaster Pa. said. "It's nice to deploy with the unit I trained with and not somebody else."
This is the first time that the cavalry squadron received the right to wear the combat patch as a unit since World War II.
"It is an awesome feeling to share this with everyone else." Said Spc. Seth Steinmetz of Easton, Pa. "They have been putting us through all these tests and trials and I think this deployment is long overdue."
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