Mission accomplished: CET returns from the fight

Published March 16, 2007
By Ed White
Space and Missile Defense Command

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Welcome home and farewell ceremonies are a staple part of life at U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command/U.S. Army Forces Strategic Command.

Soldiers deploy and redeploy regularly; it's part of their jobs. Recently the Commercial Exploitation Team from 2nd Space Company, 1st Space Battalion redeployed from the Middle East after a tour of duty supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

"I could not have asked for a better team," said Maj. James T. Bushong, team leader. Each and every one of these Soldiers worked their tails off to support the fight."

"There are Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines who are alive today and a whole bunch of terrorists who are not because of the support this team provided," said Lt. Col. Lee Gizzi, battalion commander, 1st Space Battalion.

"They increased their productivity by a factor of three from the previous team," said Maj. Rob Gray, their company commander. "They have set the bar very high for their follow-on team."

Col. Timothy Coffin, brigade commander, 1st Space Brigade addressed the assembled Soldiers and civilians during the welcome home ceremony. "Each one of these Soldiers brought something special to the mix," Colonel Coffin said. "They were engaged and brought their special skills and experience to bear in support of the warfighter. I couldn't be prouder of a team and their accomplishments."

Major Bushong returned to Colonel Gizzi a coin he was given when he took the team overseas. The coin acted as a rallying point for the team, a reminder of the importance of the mission and as a tangible reminder of the support they had from home. With each deployment from the battalion a coin is given to the team or element leader and every one has been brought back successfully. There are 25 of these coins hanging in the battalion's conference room, all of which date from 2003 to the present.

"You were given two missions a year ago," Colonel Gizzi said. "First was to support the warfighter with your CET system. Mission accomplished! Second was to return home with your troops and equipment intact. Mission accomplished!"

For those who do not deploy, very little changes. Their lives go on pretty much the same. For those who deploy, their lives can be entirely different for the experience. Every day in a war zone brings its own stress, its own surprises, both good and bad. No one who spends any time in a war zone comes away unscathed, unhurt. It's just not possible. Recognizing this fact, the Soldiers, civilians and contractor team at SMDC/ARSTRAT supports their deployed Soldiers and their families throughout their tours.