April 27 Ceremony to Recognize Soldiers in Chicago Area
CHICAGO, IL (04/22/2013)(readMedia)-- Approximately 15 Illinois Army National Guard Soldiers will be recognized April 27 by the National Guard Bureau Freedom Salute Campaign for their sacrifice and service in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The ceremony for the 244th Army Liaison Team (ALT) will be at 11 a.m. at the Illinois Army National Guard's armory at 1551 North Kedzie in Chicago.
The Soldiers were mobilized in March 2012 and briefly trained at Camp Shelby, Miss., before deploying to Afghanistan. They returned home Jan. 18.
The 244th ALT deployed two different teams that worked at border coordination centers with Afghan and Pakistani counterparts to decrease cross-border incidents.
The 244th encountered nearly 800 cross-border incidents with no casualties. There were multiple occasions where both teams resolved situations before they became international incidents. They also assisted the Afghan National Security Force and Pakistani military to resolve situations and compromise on issues.
The two teams also conducted Border Flag meetings between Afghan and Pakistani counterparts. The Border Flag meetings are discussions between the two countries about border issues.
There are only 11 units encompassing approximately 300 Soldiers with similar missions across the Army National Guard, Army Reserves and active duty forces.
The Freedom Salute Campaign program is a small way to show these patriotic citizen-Soldiers, their families and employers how much their sacrifice is appreciated. On behalf of the National Guard Bureau, the Illinois Army National Guard will present each eligible Soldier with an encased American flag, as well as a sequentially-numbered
commemorative coin, certificate of appreciation and lapel pin. Families will also receive items recognizing their support and sacrifice. The Freedom Salute Campaign is one of the largest Army National Guard recognition endeavors in history. It is designed to publicly acknowledge Army National Guard Soldiers and those who supported them while deployed.
News media attending the event should arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the ceremony. For more information call the Public Affairs Office at 217-761-3569.
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