44th MEDCOM Patch Ceremony Script

04 1015 JUL 2009: Soldiers are in formation

04 1025 JUL 2009: Soldiers on line and 1SG Anne’ stands center of formation (PARADE REST)

04 1030 JUL 2009: Introduction

MC - “Good morning ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the Shoulder Sleeve Insignia for war-time service ceremony” for the 36th ASMC, 261st MMB, 44th MEDCOM.

Today, the command will recognize their Soldiers for earning the right to wear the combat patch of the 44th MEDCOM on their right shoulder indicating wartime service. The commander of the 36th ASMC is CPT Scott Preusker (price-kur) and the company 1SG is Eric Anne’ (Ahh-nay). The Commander of Task Force MED-East is COL Joseph Chozinski (Cha-zin-ski).

04 1032 JUL 2009: CHAPLAIN invocation

04 1038 JUL 2009: 1SG Anne’ brings the company to attention, executes an about face and turns the company over to CPT Preusker.

04 1040 JUL 2009: MC – “Ladies and Gentlemen please stand for the National anthem.”

04 1042 JUL 2009: National Anthem is played

CPT Preusker brings the unit to parade rest

04 1046 JUL 2009: MC- “The TF MED-EAST COMMANDER: COL Chozinski”

CDR goes to podium and conducts speech

04 1055 JUL 2009: CPT Preusker brings the company to attention and open ranks “open ranks… march” and posts 1SG

a. 1SG Anne’ posts next to CPT Preusker in front of the company (as soon as COL Chozinski remarks complete).

04 1057 JUL 2009: MC- “COL Chozinski will now award CPT Preusker and 1SG Anne’ their combat patch, symbolizing the authorization of all Soldiers assigned to the 36th ASMC to wear the 44th MEDCOM Combat Patch.”

“The combat patch, or shoulder sleeve insignia indicating former wartime service, is a tradition started by the Army during World War II. Today, AR 670-1 regulates the wearing of the combat patch for all Soldiers assigned to US Army units that actively participate in or support ground combat operations against hostile forces. To qualify for the combat patch, Soldiers must be assigned to a unit serving in a declared hostile environment and receive the approval of the Army Chief of Staff.”

“IAW AR 670-1, the soldiers of Task Force MED, 36th ASMC, are authorized to wear the 44th MEDCOM Shoulder Sleeve Insignia Indicating Former Wartime Service for their actions as part of Operation Enduring Freedom 09-10

a. COL Chozinski awards CPT Preusker and 1SG Anne’ their combat patch in front of the formation.

04 1100 JUL 2009: MC- Reads the history of the 44th MEDCOM and the 36th ASMC

a. Concurrently; COL Chozinski, CPT Preusker and 1SG Anne’ award Soldiers their certificates

MC- History of the 44th MEDCOM and the 36th ASMC

The job of the 44th Medical Command, is to organize, train, deploy, command and control their subordinate medical units to provide corps-level combat medical, and community health support, across all levels of conflict and in peacetime garrison environment. The 44th Medical Command is currently stationed at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina. Fort Bragg subordinate units include the HHC 44th MEDCOM, the 28th Combat Support Hospital, the 261st Medical Battalion (Multifunctional), the 51st MED (VS), The 248th MED (VS) and the 257th MED (DS). The 44th Medical Command also controls the 86th Combat Support Hospital at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky, the 14th Combat Support Hospital at Ft. Benning, Georgia, the 6th Medical Logistics Management Center (MLMC) at Ft. Detrick, Maryland, and the 1st Area Medical Laboratory (AML) and the 9th AML at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland.

The 44th Medical Brigade was formed on 30 December 1965 and was activated on 1 January 1966 at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, the home of the Army Medical Branch. The Brigade deployed to Vietnam, where it participated in 12 of the 17 campaigns, including Counteroffensive, Counteroffensive Phases II through VII, Tet Counteroffensive; Summer-Fall 1969; Winter-Spring 1970, and the Sanctuary Counteroffensive.

In March, 1970, the 44th Medical Brigade Headquarters was merged with the United States Army, Vietnam Surgeon's Office to form the Medical Command, Vietnam (Provisional). The 44th Medical Brigade's colors were returned to the United States in December of 1970. During the Brigade's service in Vietnam, it was awarded two Meritorious Unit Commendation Streamers. The streamers are embroidered "Vietnam 1969-1970" by the government of the Republic of Vietnam.

On March 19, 1973, the 44th Medical Brigade was inactivated at Fort Meade, Maryland. The Brigade was reactivated on September 21, 1974 at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. On July 16, 1993, the 44th Medical Brigade became a separate major subordinate command reporting directly to the XVIII Airborne Corps with a general officer commanding.

Since moving to Ft. Bragg, elements of the 44th Medical Brigade have participated in Operation URGENT FURY in Grenada (October, 1983), Operation JUST CAUSE in Panama (December, 1989), Operations DESERT SHIELD (August, 1990) and DESERT STORM (February, 1991) in Saudi Arabia, and Operation UPHOLD DEMOCRACY in Haiti (September, 1994). The Brigade has also participated in humanitarian relief missions. Of note are the hurricane relief efforts in the United States, including those following Hurricanes Andrew (1992), Katrina (2005), and Rita (2005).

The Brigade was converted to a Medical Command on 16 October 2001 and became a multi-component unit. While at Fort Bragg the 44th Medical Brigade had become an airborne unit, but as part of its conversion the 44th Medical Command lost this designation. Elements of the 44th Medical Brigade have deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan in support of the Global War on Terrorism. During 2006 the 14th Combat Support Hospital deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The 28th Combat Support Hospital and the 86th Combat Support Hospital have both deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 04-06. These two units served as the "Baghdad ER," which was highlighted by the 86th CSH in the HBO documentary of the same name.

The 44th Medical Command transferred their responsibilities as the commanding medical unit in Multinational Corps-Iraq to the 30th Medical Brigade from Heidelberg, Germany on October 18, 2005. The professionals who are assigned to this command perform this mission superbly, proving their motto, that they are "Ready, Relevant, and Reliable."

04 1110 JUL 2009: COL Chozinski posts by the podium

a. CPT Preusker returns to the front of formation

b. Gives the command, “Close ranks… march”

c. CPT Preusker does an about face and salutes COL Chozinski

04 1112 JUL 2009: MC – “This concludes the ceremony, thank you for your participation in today’s ceremony.”