CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq (Army News Service, Jan. 25, 2010) -- Vice President of the United States Joe Biden met with members of 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, "Raiders" and other deployed service members and civilians Jan. 23 as part of his visit this week to Iraq.
Taking time out of his busy schedule of meeting with Iraqi government officials and U.S. military leaders, Biden made a stop at the Raider Inn Dining Facility during dinner to chat with troops and pose for photos.
Biden was swarmed by service members and civilians eager to meet him as he was escorted through the bustling facility by Col. John Norris, the 4th SBCT, 2nd Inf. Div. commander.
Expressing his appreciation for the hard work done by Soldiers, the vice president worked through the crowd, shaking hands with the troops and often pausing to hear from many of the Soldiers.
Biden said he hopes the American people understand the amount of hard work done by service members while deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. He is the father of a Soldier.
"You go out and saddle up every day," he said, during a conversation with members of the 4th SBCT, 2nd Inf. Div., command staff and Lt. Gen. Charles Jacoby, deputy commanding general for operations and I Corps commanding general, U.S. Forces-Iraq.
The vice president said that even in the face of great adversity, such as the loss of a fellow Soldier, service members still "saddle back up" and head out the next day.
Norris expressed his appreciation for Biden's visit of the brigade and for his strong support of his troops in the past.
"I thanked him for going to Fort Lewis for the [5th SBCT, 2nd Inf. Div.] ceremony," he said.
The Styker brigade's sister unit, 5th SBCT, 2nd Inf. Div., has taken heavy losses during its deployment to Afghanistan and in November 2009, the vice president travelled to Fort Lewis, Wash., for a ceremony memorializing seven brigade Soldiers killed by a roadside bomb.
Norris reminded Biden about that visit. "It's really important to all of us that somebody of your stature recognizes those troops that have fallen."
(Sgt. Bryce Dubee writes for the 4th SBCT, 2nd Inf. Div., USD-C)
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