Jan. 11 marked the end of a chapter in the history of the most deployed engineer battalion in the Army today, the 92nd Engineer Combat Battalion (Heavy) "The Black Diamonds."
At the Fort Stewart main post chapel, the last of the Black Diamond soldiers to receive their end of tour awards received them from their commander Lt. Col. Christopher Sallese and CSM John Longcor. In addition, awards were presented to civilians who supported the 92nd stateside throughout the deployment.
Sallese said the ceremony was a turning point for the Black Diamonds, ending the recovery from the last deployment and beginning preparation for the next. It will also be the last gathering of the battalion in its current form.
The Black Diamonds recently returned from supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom 06-08, the fourth deployment in the war on terror for the 92nd.
In 12 months Black Diamond soldiers executed more than 500 combat missions and completed more than $50 million in construction. On the highways of Iraq they repaired bomb blast craters, denied enemy access to culverts, repaired bridges and built fortifications for bases and check points. At brigade combat teams' forward operating bases across Iraq they built offices, living facilities, helipads, fortifications and foundations.
The work allowed the flow of supplies to bases all over Iraq, and hindered the enemy's ability to operate. Units from Balad to Besamaya to Baghdad have the Black Diamonds to thank for the engineer support they received while deployed.
Changes are already apparent in the Black Diamond ranks with new faces taking the place of familiar ones as many Black Diamond soldiers move on to new assignments or transition to civilian life, and more changes are on the way. In the next year, the 92nd will become the last of the Army's heavy engineer battalions to be reorganized. In the coming months the Black Diamonds will transition to a modular engineer unit.
Those who received award:
Civilians
Parham-Lee
Fry Military Family And Life consultants
Bess Stone
Donna Finney
Tamra Hunt Sledge
Rebecca Pringle
Mayra Rosario
Leah Cabey
Meckaela Smith
Rita Johansen
Maureen Casey
Billie A. Wingate
Mark H. Johansen
Kevin M. Larson
Linda Heifferon
Kathy Walter
Jeff Fornshell
Jeff Poulin
Amanda Sallese
Misty Raybon
Tawanda Agee
Krissy Koslowsky
Shonda McKoy
Charlotte Pundsack
Latanya Daisy
Michelle Kasprzycki
Bronze Star Service Medal
Capt. David M. Myers
WO James R. Moore
Staff Sgt. Shawn D. Douglas
Staff Sgt. Angelica M. Erinna
Staff Sgt. Derrick T. Favors
Staff Sgt. Brian K. Humphrey
Staff Sgt. Melvin J. Parsons Jr.
Staff Sgt. Charity L. Williams
Sgt. Timothy G. McFadden
Sgt. Travis C. Ross
Meritorious Service Medal
Sgt. 1st Class Sheila Stewart
Army Commendation Medal
1st Sgt. Denny Buck
Sgt. 1st Class Richard S. Stewart
Sgt. Brain O. Bellamy
Sgt. Michael E. Calhoun
Sgt. Jason J. Dillard
Sgt. Marvin M. Dillon
Sgt. Duriel A. Harris
Sgt. Misty M. Meier
Sgt. Amy E. McCutchen
Sgt. Patrick D. Siebert
Sgt. Casey L. Taylor
Sgt. Jason D. Wamba
Sgt. Jody W. Zrofsky
Spc. Jessy J. Benavente Jr.
Spc. Cody W. Bronson
Spc. Lamont D. Dixon
Spc. Dominic A. Giovanetti
Spc. Sandra K. Hamrick
Spc. Olita Tulafono
Pfc. Ryan T. Brady
Pfc. Thomas R. Creager Jr.
Pfc. Charles A. Landrum Jr.
Pfc. Maria T. Ramirez
Pfc. David Sanchez
Pvt. Alvin A. Argomido
Pvt. Alexis Rivera
Army Achievement Medal
1st Lt. Alex J. Duffy
Combat Action Badge
Capt. Steven M. Johnson
1st Lt. Lyle R. Milliman
1st Lt. Amie E. Shomette
Staff Sgt. Stephen E. Essary
Staff Sgt. Jame T. Lowe
Sgt. Charles L. Booker
Sgt. Justin W. Davis
Sgt. Jared M. Dailey
Sgt. Adam E. Delorey
Sgt. Shawn D. Pursley
Sgt. Jeremy W. Spiggle
Pfc. Lee A. Parker
Pvt. Christopher Chacon
Army Commendation Medal
1st Lt. Kalen G. Smith
Army Achievement Medal
Capt. Natalie A. Bynum
Staff Sgt. Garey D. Howard
Spc. Michael A. Brock
Spc. Ronnie H. Hyatt
Army Achievement Medal (For service in support of forward deployed soldiers)
Staff Sgt. Joseph E. Currier
Staff Sgt. Tanya A. Louis
Staff Sgt. Michael E. Calhoun
Sgt. Fred B. Cotton
Sgt. James B. Sapp
Spc. Juan D. Polanco
Spc. Brad A. Smalygo
Pfc. Veronica D. Briggins
Army Commendation Medal (For services while at Fort Stewart)
Capt. Matthew R. Bolen
Capt. Tina M. Koile
Capt. Charles D. Rodgers
Staff Sgt. Moses G. Soto
Sgt. 1st Class Josephine M. Matthews
Sgt. Matthew C. Barkmeier
Sgt. Benjamin Caban
Sgt. Esteban F. Delgadillo
Sgt. Marvin A. Dillon
Sgt. Kathryn R. Groleau
Sgt. Amy E. McCuthchen
Sgt. Tory M. Welch
Spc. Jessy J. Benavente Jr.
Spc. Jeremy P. Brown
Spc. Christopher D. Esguerra
Spc. Christopher S. Jones
Spc. Chandler O. Keels
Spc. John E. Lair
Spc. Michael A. Mada
Spc. Christopher L. Myers
Spc. David F. Shaw
Spc. Jason T. Smith
Spc. John R. Stump Jr.
Spc. Alexander J. Schuurman
Spc. Jason C. Paff
Spc. David A. Patterson
Spc. Valerie M. Stanley
Spc. Heather L. Stark
Spc. John W. Tinch
Spc. Jesse Trembley
Spc. Andre B. Williams
Pfc. Angel T. Dejesus
At the Fort Stewart main post chapel, the last of the Black Diamond soldiers to receive their end of tour awards received them from their commander Lt. Col. Christopher Sallese and CSM John Longcor. In addition, awards were presented to civilians who supported the 92nd stateside throughout the deployment.
Sallese said the ceremony was a turning point for the Black Diamonds, ending the recovery from the last deployment and beginning preparation for the next. It will also be the last gathering of the battalion in its current form.
The Black Diamonds recently returned from supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom 06-08, the fourth deployment in the war on terror for the 92nd.
In 12 months Black Diamond soldiers executed more than 500 combat missions and completed more than $50 million in construction. On the highways of Iraq they repaired bomb blast craters, denied enemy access to culverts, repaired bridges and built fortifications for bases and check points. At brigade combat teams' forward operating bases across Iraq they built offices, living facilities, helipads, fortifications and foundations.
The work allowed the flow of supplies to bases all over Iraq, and hindered the enemy's ability to operate. Units from Balad to Besamaya to Baghdad have the Black Diamonds to thank for the engineer support they received while deployed.
Changes are already apparent in the Black Diamond ranks with new faces taking the place of familiar ones as many Black Diamond soldiers move on to new assignments or transition to civilian life, and more changes are on the way. In the next year, the 92nd will become the last of the Army's heavy engineer battalions to be reorganized. In the coming months the Black Diamonds will transition to a modular engineer unit.
Those who received award:
Civilians
Parham-Lee
Fry Military Family And Life consultants
Bess Stone
Donna Finney
Tamra Hunt Sledge
Rebecca Pringle
Mayra Rosario
Leah Cabey
Meckaela Smith
Rita Johansen
Maureen Casey
Billie A. Wingate
Mark H. Johansen
Kevin M. Larson
Linda Heifferon
Kathy Walter
Jeff Fornshell
Jeff Poulin
Amanda Sallese
Misty Raybon
Tawanda Agee
Krissy Koslowsky
Shonda McKoy
Charlotte Pundsack
Latanya Daisy
Michelle Kasprzycki
Bronze Star Service Medal
Capt. David M. Myers
WO James R. Moore
Staff Sgt. Shawn D. Douglas
Staff Sgt. Angelica M. Erinna
Staff Sgt. Derrick T. Favors
Staff Sgt. Brian K. Humphrey
Staff Sgt. Melvin J. Parsons Jr.
Staff Sgt. Charity L. Williams
Sgt. Timothy G. McFadden
Sgt. Travis C. Ross
Meritorious Service Medal
Sgt. 1st Class Sheila Stewart
Army Commendation Medal
1st Sgt. Denny Buck
Sgt. 1st Class Richard S. Stewart
Sgt. Brain O. Bellamy
Sgt. Michael E. Calhoun
Sgt. Jason J. Dillard
Sgt. Marvin M. Dillon
Sgt. Duriel A. Harris
Sgt. Misty M. Meier
Sgt. Amy E. McCutchen
Sgt. Patrick D. Siebert
Sgt. Casey L. Taylor
Sgt. Jason D. Wamba
Sgt. Jody W. Zrofsky
Spc. Jessy J. Benavente Jr.
Spc. Cody W. Bronson
Spc. Lamont D. Dixon
Spc. Dominic A. Giovanetti
Spc. Sandra K. Hamrick
Spc. Olita Tulafono
Pfc. Ryan T. Brady
Pfc. Thomas R. Creager Jr.
Pfc. Charles A. Landrum Jr.
Pfc. Maria T. Ramirez
Pfc. David Sanchez
Pvt. Alvin A. Argomido
Pvt. Alexis Rivera
Army Achievement Medal
1st Lt. Alex J. Duffy
Combat Action Badge
Capt. Steven M. Johnson
1st Lt. Lyle R. Milliman
1st Lt. Amie E. Shomette
Staff Sgt. Stephen E. Essary
Staff Sgt. Jame T. Lowe
Sgt. Charles L. Booker
Sgt. Justin W. Davis
Sgt. Jared M. Dailey
Sgt. Adam E. Delorey
Sgt. Shawn D. Pursley
Sgt. Jeremy W. Spiggle
Pfc. Lee A. Parker
Pvt. Christopher Chacon
Army Commendation Medal
1st Lt. Kalen G. Smith
Army Achievement Medal
Capt. Natalie A. Bynum
Staff Sgt. Garey D. Howard
Spc. Michael A. Brock
Spc. Ronnie H. Hyatt
Army Achievement Medal (For service in support of forward deployed soldiers)
Staff Sgt. Joseph E. Currier
Staff Sgt. Tanya A. Louis
Staff Sgt. Michael E. Calhoun
Sgt. Fred B. Cotton
Sgt. James B. Sapp
Spc. Juan D. Polanco
Spc. Brad A. Smalygo
Pfc. Veronica D. Briggins
Army Commendation Medal (For services while at Fort Stewart)
Capt. Matthew R. Bolen
Capt. Tina M. Koile
Capt. Charles D. Rodgers
Staff Sgt. Moses G. Soto
Sgt. 1st Class Josephine M. Matthews
Sgt. Matthew C. Barkmeier
Sgt. Benjamin Caban
Sgt. Esteban F. Delgadillo
Sgt. Marvin A. Dillon
Sgt. Kathryn R. Groleau
Sgt. Amy E. McCuthchen
Sgt. Tory M. Welch
Spc. Jessy J. Benavente Jr.
Spc. Jeremy P. Brown
Spc. Christopher D. Esguerra
Spc. Christopher S. Jones
Spc. Chandler O. Keels
Spc. John E. Lair
Spc. Michael A. Mada
Spc. Christopher L. Myers
Spc. David F. Shaw
Spc. Jason T. Smith
Spc. John R. Stump Jr.
Spc. Alexander J. Schuurman
Spc. Jason C. Paff
Spc. David A. Patterson
Spc. Valerie M. Stanley
Spc. Heather L. Stark
Spc. John W. Tinch
Spc. Jesse Trembley
Spc. Andre B. Williams
Pfc. Angel T. Dejesus