|
WESLACO, Texas - From battles pre-dating the Alamo to today's war
on terror abroad, the 3rd Battalion, 141st Infantry Regiment, 36th
Infantry Division, Texas Army National Guard's story is rich with
history and colored with the hard work and sacrifice of its Soldiers
- a combat force ready to respond to the needs of the nation and
also an asset to help their fellow Texans during a natural disaster.
Members of the battalion told their story to a state
representative and legislative staff members June 4-5, 2014, at the
Weslaco Armory in Weslaco during a Texas Military Forces Government
Affairs legislative visit.
Between the two days, the
historical account of “the most storied regiment in the state of
Texas” was heard.
That story included losing the entire
battalion in Italy during World War II, responding to nearly every
major storm event in the state since the early 1900s, and having
Soldiers supporting contingency operations around the globe
throughout its history and today.
It was the true tale of the
citizen Soldier in the Rio Grande Valley.
|
Pfc. Estevan Elizondo, a medic with 3rd
Battalion, 141st Infantry Regiment, 36th Infantry Division, explains
the various items in his medical kit to Texas Sen. Eddie Lucio's
chief of staff, Louie Sanchez, during a legislative visit at the
Weslaco Armory in Weslaco, Texas, June 4, 2014. The visit is day one
of a two-day visit of state legislators and their staff at the South
Texas armory.
(U.S. Army photo by 2nd Lt. Alicia Lacy)
|
The “Rio Grande Valley” Battalion, as Lt. Col. Clarence
Henderson, the battalion's commander, coined the unit, is
comprised of the Soldiers who've grown up in the Valley, who
work in the Valley, who are raising their families in the
Valley, and are the ones who respond when the residents
require their support.
During the visit, State House
District 39 Rep. Armando Martinez, Louie Sanchez, chief of
staff for State Senate District 29 Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr.,
Alex Rios, district director for State House District 40
Rep. Terry Canales, and Michelle Villarreal, legislative
director for State House District 35 Rep. Oscar Longoria,
received a mission overview of the battalion and had the
opportunity to view some of the unit's capabilities and the
assets it brings to the area.
The legislative visit
and tour of the armory comes at the heels of the Department
of the Army's proposed force structure drawdown. As part of
the drawdown, the National Guard Bureau was directed to
reduce Soldier strength by two brigade combat teams, one of
which is the battalion's headquarters brigade, the 72nd
Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 36th Infantry Division,
located in Houston, which could result in the deactivation
of the brigade.
Though there is no direct threat to
the South Texas battalion, the deactivation of its
headquarters brigade could have an impact on the battalion's
ability to respond to Texans during a natural disaster or
other emergency.
“If this battalion went away, the
local communities would be impacted by the ability to have
military respond,” Henderson said. “These Soldiers respond
to storm events as far north as Galveston to those in the
local area. The ability to respond to natural disasters
would be reduced.”
For that reason, it is important
to educate Texans and leaders on the significance of the
battalion here.
“The message is the value that this
battalion brings to the local community. There's a great
advantage of having an infantry battalion serving South
Texas,” Henderson said.
While the state legislature
is not in session, the TXMF Government Affairs Office used
this opportunity to host legislative representatives and
their staffs to promote a better understanding of the Texas
National Guard's service to the state and nation.
“A
lot of people don't know that this headquarters is here or
how the office and personnel and equipment here are used,”
Villarreal said. “I think, personally for me and our office,
it's given us a better understanding of its purpose and it's
great to know we have this facility here to accommodate our
Soldiers.”
The representative and staff members
received a firsthand look at the equipment used by the
battalion downrange, as well as how that same equipment can
be used in domestic response operations.
“When
talking about disasters, it's great that we have this type
of equipment here to use in the community,” Martinez said.
“It's really good to see this and I'll continue to support
our troops and the National Guard with anything I can do.”
By U.S. Army 2nd Lt. Alicia Lacy
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2014
Comment on this article
|
