Freedom Salute to honor soldiers, friends and family

After returning from the largest National Guard deployment in decades, citizen soldiers are beginning to get back in the swing of things at home.

Now, said 1st Lt. Nicholas Weber, it’s time to give back to the community that offered the soldiers so much support during their time overseas.

The public is invited to attend the Freedom Salute Honors Ceremony during which the soldiers of C Co., 1st Bn., 303rd Armor in Port Orchard, their loved ones and the community members who supported them during their mobilization will be recognized for their contributions to Operation Iraqi Freedom.

“We have a lot of businesses in town that have contributed in a lot of ways,” said Weber, the company’s executive officer and second-in-command.

According to Weber, both businesses and individuals helped to form family support groups for those with relatives overseas, send care packages and made other contributions during the company’s deployment.

The company consists of roughly 45 soldiers who returned from Iraq in March after 18 months of active duty at Fort Lewis and in Yakima, California and finally, Iraq.

Port Orchard’s National Guard Armory on Mile Hill Drive is overseen by the National Guard Bureau. Soldiers are members of the headquarters company of the 1st Battalion of the 303rd Armor, which is part of the 81st Armored Brigade Enhanced.

In times of peace, the Washington Army National Guard serves the state at the request of the governor.

The call-up of the brigade was the largest deployment of the state’s Army National Guard since World War II.

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