Here, We Meet Again
(June 23, 2010) |
|
|
Staff Sgt. Paul Berkland (left) and Staff Sgt.
Ike Richardson, both Soldiers with Headquarters
and Headquarters Company, 4th Infantry Brigade
Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division out of Fort
Riley, Kan., served in the same units each time
they deployed to Iraq. Berkland and Richardson
are currently on their third deployment to Iraq
together. |
|
TIKRIT, Iraq (June 20, 2010) – As I watched them interact
with each other before the interview, it was like they had
known one another their entire lives. However, the
friendship between Staff Sgt. Paul Berkland and Staff Sgt.
Ike Richardson, both Soldiers with Headquarters and
Headquarters Company, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st
Infantry Division, out of Fort Riley, Kan., had only begun a
couple of years ago while both Soldiers were deployed with
the brigade during the surge.
Interestingly, their deployment during the surge marked the
second time Berkland and Richardson had deployed together.
The first time was while both Soldiers were serving in
Iraq's Diyala Province with the 3rd Squadron, 278th Armored
Cavalry Regiment, an Army National Guard unit from
Tennessee.
“I had never met Sergeant Richardson personally while we
were deployed with the guard,” said Staff Sgt. Berkland, a
combat medic from Corning, Calif. “I saw him in the (dining
facility) at (Forward Operating Base) Caldwell probably on
four or five different occasions |
|
when I went down there (from) FOB Cobra.” |
|
After serving with the Tennessee National Guard, the
Soldiers went their separate ways only to meet again as
fellow Soldiers on active duty with the 4th IBCT.
“Though we didn't do everything together, when I'm talking
about the 278th (and) the BSTB he knows what I'm talking
about,” said Richardson, a food service noncommissioned in
charge from Eufaula, Ala. “(And, it's the same) when he's
talking about everything that he's gone through and has
experienced (because) it was around the same time. It's
funny how our lives mirror each other.”
When it came to choosing someone to pin him for his
promotion ceremony, June 1, Berkland said Richardson was an
easy choice.
He said the ceremony presented an opportunity to show more
than just two people with similar military backgrounds
coming together again. It was an opportunity to inspire
people to be more cordial toward each other because you
never know if or when you may meet that person again.
“When I initially learned that I was going to be promoted, I
was like, ‘Wow,' because there are so many people I could
choose to promote me within our company and brigade,” said
Berkland.
“But, on my second thoughts I was like, ‘Wait a minute
there's a guy in my unit that I've known for a while that's
about as decent a person and a decent a human being that
you'd ever want to meet,'” he added. “It would just be such
a great story and would inspire so many people; so, why not?
How can you pass up an opportunity like that to inspire
young people to get to know each other better and be
friendlier toward one another?”
Richardson said he was honored to have been the one who
pinned the “rocker” on Berkland's chest and has learned a
lot from him.
“I've watched him build a trauma center from his hands from
scratch and watched him lay the foundation and build it up,”
said Richardson. “I was amazed at how it came up. He just
left a legacy on (Forward Operating Base Bernstein), and it
(was dedicated) to two guys that we lost during the last
deployment. So, that showed me his heart and that's the kind
of person I can relate to.”
“Words cannot express the amount of respect that I have for
him and what I learned about him as a person,” he concluded.
“Those are the kind of things I like to try to exhibit in my
leadership.”
As their current deployment comes to an end, Richardson and
Berkland plan to stay in touch with each other. Both
Soldiers also plan on retirement and going back to
Tennessee. |
Article and photo by Army Sgt. Shantelle Campbell
4th Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division
Copyright 2010 | |
Provided
through DVIDS
Comment on this article |
|
