View single post by KenC
 Posted: Thu Nov 6th, 2008 11:41 pm
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KenC



Joined: Sun Sep 4th, 2005
Location: Florida &, Arizona USA
Posts: 11288
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 Well, as many of you know, I went to Ft Riley last week.  It was an amazing trip and I received an amazing honor.  I was inducted as a Distinguished Member of the 16th Infantry Regiment (DMOR), an honor held by only 104 others including WWII Veterans.  As most of you also know, I am involved with raising funds (you will all be hit up later in the year - ) for the Infantry Company, Bandido Charlie.  Bandido Charlie is the only officially named company sized unit in the US Army and is, in fact, Company C, 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment.  The 16th Infantry Regiment has been on continuous active duty since 1861.  It is the most highly decorated Regiment in the US Army and Company C of the 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment has, in fact, the distinction of being the most decorated unit in the United States Army! 

The best part of the ceremony was that it included a week of being with the active duty soldiers of the 16th Infantry Regiment and of the Big Red One for nearly a week at Ft. Riley, Kansas…and it is unbelievable to me how well received we were by the troops of the active 16th Infantry Regiment battalions.  It is a tribute to the incredible leadership and training provided by LTC Luke and LTC Kries and their respective Command Sergeant’s Major, Scott Smith and Wylie Hutchison, and, it is a tribute to the quality of soldier in today’s Army!

Our soldiers spent the week giving us expert demonstrations of their skills and training processes, their technology, their leadership and their professionalism…all the while, tending to our every need.  We watched their training exercises and their skilled assaults, fired their weapons and “played” in their simulators, but most enjoyable, at least to me, was the time we spent simply talking with them.  In the field, sharing lunches in the Mess Hall (they have some silly new name), at the DMOR Reception and at the 16th Infantry Annual Ball, I have never seen or spoken with such well trained, highly educated, physically fit and well led troops.  They are committed to the mission and to the Army…it was overwhelmingly evident at every level of command that we encountered from PFC to the Division Commander.

 



Moi firing a sniper rifle!



In front of the Bandido Charlie Orderly Room with the current 1st Sergeant, Company Commander, and men I commanded in Vietnam (they are identified in photos below).  The flag displayed flew over the 2nd Platoon Leader's Command Track in Vietnam.  The spot in the lower left is blood.



At a training site with 2 active duty Bandidos (who both served with the Bandidos in Al Asad, Iraq) my Command Track Driver, one of my  Squad Leaders, my Medic and my 1st Sergeant from Vietnam.



 

At the awards ceremony with the current 1/16 Battalion Commander, "Mack" (my command track driver from Vietnam, "Top" (my 1SG from Vietnam), Moi, "Woody" (a friend, classmate, former Bandido Charlie CO and current Aide to the Secretary of the Army), "Doc" (my medic from Vietnam and his wife (an Honorary Member of the Regiment).