Award Recipients Honored with Plaque Containing Historical Piece of Iraq

Hundreds filled the Fort Bragg Club at Wednesday afternoon's awards assembly paying tribute to members of the Fort Bragg and Fayetteville community to recognize their support of Operation New Dawn.

The Honorable Tony and Mrs. Chavonne from as well as the mayors from Spring Lake and Hope Mills and other leaders both civilian and military to accept their awards from Lt. Gen. Frank Helmick.

Upon thanking the crowd for their attendance a seven-minute video in chronological order of the events leading up to Operation New Dawn was featured, followed by the awards presentation.

"When a unit is selected to deploy, a lot of things happen and they get all kinds of things thrown on them. The spotlight, the amount of training, they get resources, and they get the best equipment that the Army has to offer," said Lt. Gen. Helmick. "What's left behind is the rear detachment, chock full of guys that want to go but can't go, they have many other things to take care of."

Lt. Gen. Helmick touched on the many issues and problems that these servicemembers, military leaders and community leaders dealt with over the past year while the 18th Airborne Corps was deployed ranging from last year's tornado in April to the everyday challenges back in the rear or when a soldier was killed in action. Stating that 'we are all family' he referenced both the communities of Fort Bragg and Fayetteville uniting together to help one another out during these times which is the underlying factor behind Wednesday's awards ceremony.

Bringing a little piece of Iraq back for those individuals who could not be there, Lt. Gen. Helmick explained the elements that made up the plaque. The sand contained in the glass vile is from the desert in Western Province of Iraq. According to the oral tradition of the Bedouins, one of the resting places along the biblical journey of Abraham from Ur to Canaan is located at this oasis, at Al Asad Air Base, Iraq. Along with the glass vile of sand, a photo of the oasis and two unit patches are mounted inside the plaque.