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Reenlistments

"I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States...", this is a portion of the Oath of Enlistment repeated by 181 soldiers under the command of the 194th Engineer Brigade (TA), Tennessee Army National Guard.

The soldiers choose to reenlist while deployed with the 194th as a part of Operation Iraqi Freedom 04-06 in Iraq. Many received bonuses of up to $15,000 paid out for a 6-year extension. The total amount paid out to 194th soldiers who reenlisted, thus far, this year has reached $2,340,000.

According to Command Sergeant Major Ronald Jones of the 194th, "Many of these 181 men and women are young soldiers with families back home. Their reenlistment shows their commitment and dedication to serve the National Guard units in their respective states and, above all, their commitment to freedom. They all know that freedom is not free. These are America's soldiers at their best".

Early this year the 891st Engineer Battalion, Kansas Army National Guard, held a special reenlistment ceremony at the Ziggurat, near the ancient city of Ur in southern Iraq. Brigadier General Jimmy Welch, Commander of the 194th, read the oath as 22 members of the Battalion held up their right hands and repeated it.

Other soldiers reenlisting are from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 194th Engineer Brigade, Tennessee Army National Guard; 891st Engineer Battalion, Kansas Army National Guard; 224th Engineer Battalion, Iowa Army National Guard 133rd Engineer Company, Wyoming Army National Guard and 1438th Engineer Company, Missouri Army National Guard.

Brigadier General Jimmy Welch, Commander of the 194th Engineer Brigade administered the Oath of Enlistment to 22 soldiers of the 891st Engineer Battalion in a special ceremony held on the steps of the Ziggurat near the ancient city of Ur in southern Iraq. Others attending the ceremony are: (front row from left) Brigadier General Welch, Command Sergeant Major Ronald Jones (194th Command Sergeant Major), Lieutenant Colonel Lee Tafanelli (Commander of the 891st Engineer Battalion), and Command Sergeant Major John Ryan (891st Command Sergeant Major)

Story and photos by SFC Pete Quinton, S-5/PAO,
194th Engineer Brigade (TA)
Tennessee Army National Guard
Tallil, AB, Iraq