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46th Engineers advance party returns from deployment

Aug 6, 2009

By Emily Brainard

FORT RUCKER, Ala.--Ten "Bravo Beast" B Company, 46th Engineer Battalion Soldiers returned home this weekend to prepare for the redeployment of their entire unit next month.

The advanced party arrived Saturday and Sunday after 14 months in Iraq. The incoming Soldiers included Capt. Jeremy Atkinson, 1st Lt. Kewanda Tate, Staff Sgt. Andrew Bennett, Sgt. Shaun Cherry, Sgt. Jacob Thomas, Sgt. Robert Young, Sgt. Antonio Williams, Spc. Isaiah White, Spc. Jason Steffes and Spc. Evan Utterback.

Command Sgt. Maj. Steven Green, 1st Battalion, 13th Aviation Regiment, said the engineers' "experience level has been increased tenfold" because of the hands-on training they received in Iraq. He also said the Soldiers made an impact on the up and coming Iraqi generations through their dedication to improving the nation.

According to the unit's rear detachment 1st Sgt. Grant Abercrombie, the engineers worked to rebuild Iraq through construction projects including schools and roads. They helped both U.S. and Iraqi Soldiers and civilians through their labors, he said.

After traveling several days to make it home safely, Soldiers eagerly greeted their spouses, children and friends. Tears of joy and laughter filled the air around Bldg. 8452 as Families reunited.
White met his 2-week-old daughter, Amirah, for the first time Saturday. "I'm very excited. I'm overjoyed," he said, looking at his new baby girl. "I'm going to spoil my kids," he said, including Erika, 2, and Isaiah Jr., 4.

White said he is thankful for the deployment experience. "It helped me to be more vigilant and recognize signs of danger," he said of his heightened awareness from time in a combat zone.
Young declared the past 14 months demanded a lot of hard work, but said he believes his experience in Iraq will help him in future military endeavors. He said he was glad to return home to wife Shakisha, and their son, Shamaar, 7, who celebrates his eighth birthday this week.

New babies and birthdays weren't the only things on Soldiers' minds as they arrived, however. Unit members reflected on the fact that their work is not over yet because the whole unit is not home.

Cherry said the advanced party is crucial to the successful return of the entire unit, as they prepare the logistics to bring more than100 Soldiers home early next month. "Right now I don't feel like I'm home," Cherry said. "I'm not going to rest until they get home."

Cherry's Family, wife, Almeydi, and sons, De'shaun, 5, Jer'miah, 4 and Christopher, 2, said their first deployment as a Family was difficult, "but friends and Family make it better," according to Almeydi.

B Co., 46th Eng. Bn. Family Readiness Group leader Treva Williams ran into her husband's arms with tears of happiness Sunday, along with their daughters, Kayana, 5, and Breana, 9. As an integral part in keeping the Soldiers and Families united, Treva said she assists in preparing the barracks for single Soldiers.

Williams, one of the last Soldiers to arrive this weekend, said the feeling of helping another nation regain its footing is fulfilling. "It'll help a lot by building up forces for Iraq. It's going to be stupendous," he said, after hugging the three most important women in his life.

While many of the returning Soldiers are enlisted, the officers in the group said they gained experience too. Tate said this deployment was crucial to her career as a leader. "As a platoon leader, I learned a lot," she said. "We did a lot of training with the Iraqis, an integral part of security."

Utterback summed up the deployment as increasing his knowledge as a Soldier. "Through experience you can go forward in the military career ... and share that experience with other Soldiers," he said.

Arriving after seemingly endless hours of travel, Soldiers said they were thankful they came home safely, welcomed by the warm arms of Family, friends and fellow unit members. Now they begin yet another mission, this time anticipating the safe return of the rest of their unit.