44th Expeditionary Signal Battalion establishes in Schweinfurt

By Sandra Wilson, U.S. Army Garrison SchweinfurtAugust 3, 2009

44th Expeditionary Signal Battalion establishes in Schweinfurt
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SCHWEINFURT, Germany -- The 44th Expeditionary Signal Battalion (ESB) has now unfurled its colors in Schweinfurt, marking its official relocation from Mannheim in a ceremony at the USAG Schweinfurt Andrus Garden on Ledward Barracks Friday.

"Although we've been on the ground for a little over a month, it seems like yesterday that the command sergeant major and I arrived to start conducting our day-to-day operations out of the new building," said Lt. Col. Dwayne Dickens, 44th ESB commander.

The work done to accomplish the move from Mannheim to Schweinfurt has been "awe-inspiring," said Col. Gerald Miller, 2nd Signal Brigade commander.

According to Miller, the battalion has safely moved 212 pieces of rolling stock, 120 containers, and relocated 105 soldiers and their families the distance of 150 miles between the two cities.

"In all, the battalion has logged tens of thousand of accident-free miles as part of this move. You should all be proud of what you have accomplished in this very short time period," Miller said.

In addition to the hard work of the battalion's Soldiers, Dickens attributed the smooth relocation to the contributions of community support around them.

"It's because of this outstanding garrison support that 44th was able to hit the ground running and never miss a step," he said.

The 44th ESB brings a long history with it, originating in 1944 and headquartered in Mannheim for most of its years until now. It has deployed in support of numerous operations over that last two decades including, most recently, 15 months in Operation Iraqi Freedom 2007-08.

"As the battalion sets down roots here in the community, we're looking forward to hearing about the positive impact that you will have in the military community and the new bonds of friendship ... in the great city of Schweinfurt," Miller said.