Lawrenceville, Georgia
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Lawrenceville, Georgia
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CURRENT CAMPAIGNS
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Afghanistan and Iraqi
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MILITARY CAMPAIGN NEWS LINKS
THE MISSION
Georgia National Guard Support to Global War on Terrorism Georgia
Army National Guard Total Georgia National Guardsmen Mobilized since Sept 11, 2001: Over 7,500 (Includes Army and Air National Guard)
Mobilized units drill in 60 hometowns across Georgia The mission of the 48th Infantry Brigade
is to mobilize, conduct post mobilization training, and
deploy rapidly to a contingency area by air, sea, and land
to conduct mobile combined offensive and defensive
operations worldwide. The 48th Infantry Brigade was originally
organized on April 23, 1825, at Macon as the Macon
Volunteers, Georgia Volunteer Militia. It mustered into
Federal service on February 18, 1836, at Picolata, FL, as
Captain Seymor’s Company, 1st Battalion Georgia Volunteers.
The unit was mustered into Confederate
service on April 20, 1861 at Macon, GA. It reorganized on
April 11, 1872 at Macon, GA, as the Macon Volunteers. It was
rdesignated on December 21, 1899, as Georgia State Troopers;
and on October 1, 1905 as the Georgia National Guard.
The unit was drafted into Federal Service
in August 1917 as Company B, 151st Machine Gun Battalion, an
element of the 42nd Division. It demobilized in May 1919 at
Camp Gordon, GA. It was inducted into Federal service on
September 16, 1940 at Macon, and was and redesignated on
February 24, 1942 as the 30th Cavalry Reconnaissance Troop
while remaining assigned to the 30th Infantry Division. It
inactivated on November 17, 1945. From 1945 to 1973, the Brigade
underwent a series of redesignations culminating in its current form, the
48th Infantry Brigade. The unit was inducted into Federal service on
November 30th, 1990 at Fort Stewart, GA. It demobilized on April 10, 1991 at
Fort Stewart, GA. More than 4,500 members of the unit
were mobilized in 1990 to participate in Desert Storm. The unit successfully
completed the most intensive training ever conducted at the Army's National
Training Center in California, and was first and only National Guard combat
brigade validated as combat ready for the Gulf War. The conflict ended
before the brigade was employed in the Persian Gulf. In 2001, more than 1,200 members
of the 48th Infantry Brigade deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina for
Stabilization Force (SFOR) Rotation 9 to provide support operations for Task
Force Eagle (United States contingent to United Nations Operations in
support of Dayton Peace Accord). The 48th Infantry Brigade was among the
first National Guard combat units of this size and capability to take over
such a large and significant portion of this mission.
Alpha Company, 1st
Battalion, 121st
Regiment, Infantry (M), 48th
Brigade Combat Team successfully completed an overseas tour in
support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The unit was activated by Presidential
order in December 2004 and spent approximately 5 months training at Ft.
Stewart Georgia. Individual combat skills as well as team and unit level
maneuvers were renewed during this training. Their final test of unit
cohesiveness and overall combat readiness was tested at the Army’s National
Training Center, Ft. Irwin located in the California desert. Upon completion
of the training, Alpha Company said their goodbyes to family and friends and
headed for the Middle East arriving in Kuwait the middle of May 2005 for
additional training and acclimation to the region for a couple of weeks. As
soon as all the weapons, equipment and vehicles were loaded and ready for
action, Alpha Company crossed the Iraqi border and began their mission.
Alpha
Company was stationed at Camp Striker, Iraq just outside of the Baghdad
International Airport. The unit’s primary mission was to provide security of
the Main Supply Route leading in and around the southwest side of the
airport. Further, it was their mission to ensure that all military,
contractor and civilian traffic had freedom of movement on the highway and
neighboring roads in the local communities. In addition to the countless
hours of round the clock patrols, Alpha Company worked with the local
community leaders to gather information about their needs to improve the
infrastructure of their community. At the same time, efforts were made to
collect information to combat the insurgency and defeat their efforts to
disrupt our operations. Alpha Company also conducted goodwill missions in
the local farming communities. School supplies, medical supplies, food,
water and a generator were donated to the families, schools and local
doctors in the area. The
last few months of Alpha Company’s tour was spent providing security at one
of Saddam Hussein’s former palace complexes. The soldiers continued to work
long days, but were also able to relax a bit by not having to go outside of
the comfort of the compound’s walls.
Alpha Company worked with several different regular army
units. The units included the 3rd
Infantry Division, the 4th
Infantry Division and the 101st
Airborne Division to name a few. After spending almost one year in Iraq, the
soldiers returned home in late April 2006 to a hero’s welcome at Ft.
Stewart, Georgia with Georgia’s Governor Sonny Perdue leading the welcome
home celebration. The officers and soldiers of Alpha Company are proud to
have had an extremely successful mission safely bringing every soldier home
to their families. The men of Alpha Company will always be remembered as
Heroes and Ambassadors of the United States of America.
Note: Alpha Co has been adopted by our Post.
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SUPPORT OF OUR ACTIVE MILITARY FORCES
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