128TH BATTALION TOPS IN NATION
Monday, July 27th, 2009 -- 8:30 AM
A local Wisconsin Army National Guard infantry battalion is the best in the nation.Eau Claire-based 1st Battalion, 128th Infantry is now in Iraq, about midway through a one-year mobilization that began in February.
It will receive the Walter T. Kerwin Jr. Award for Readiness and Training as the outstanding National Guard unit for 2009. The award will be presented in October at the annual meeting of the Association of the United States Army in Washington, D.C.
The Kerwin award is named for Gen. Walter T. "Dutch" Kerwin Jr., a former Army vice chief of staff who was the first commander of U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM) when it was established in 1976. FORSCOM was charged with ensuring the readiness and training of all Army units--active, Guard and reserve--in the United States.
First Battalion, 128th Infantry is headquartered in Eau Claire and
includes Detachment 1 of the Headquarters Company in Abbotsford; Company A in Menomonie; Company B in New Richmond and Detachment 1 of Company B in Rice Lake; Company C in Arcadia and Detachment 1 of Company C in Onalaska; and Company D in River Falls.
The battalion has about 600 soldiers assigned to units presently operating in Iraq at Forward Operating Bases Future, Cropper and Liberty near the Baghdad International Airport, and at Ashraf.
The battalion's missions are expected to be completed in January 2010.
Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.