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Freedom Salute ceremony honors 16 CNMI soldiers
Sixteen CNMI soldiers who returned from deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom were honored in a Freedom Salute ceremony at the Pedro P. Tenori Multi-Purpose Center in Susupe yesterday morning.
The Guam Army National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 294th Infantry Regiment sent close to 600 Guam and the CNMI soldiers to Afghanistan in a “historic mission” from March to December 2013.
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- Sen. Jovita Taimañao receives the Task Force Guam Eagle Award on behalf of the Legislature. (Jayson Camacho)
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- Gov. Eloy S. Inos is presented with a large photo by officials and members of Task Force Guam. (Jayson Camacho)
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- SPC Andrew Delos Reyes of Task Force Guam receives his award in recognition of his services. (Jayson Camacho)
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- Sgt. Trey Cunningham of the 721st Army National Guard Band sings a tribute to the soldiers and their families. (Jayson Camacho)
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- Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP) receives his Task Force Guam Eagle Award. (Jayson Camacho)
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- Tan Holdings president Jerry Tan receives a Task Force Guam Eagle award as a “Center of Influence.” (Jayson Camacho)
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- Office of Veterans Affairs director Vicente Camacho receives a Task Force Guam Eagle award as a “Center of Influence.” (Jayson Camacho)
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- Tan Holdings corporate consultant Dave Sablan Sr. receives a Task Force Guam Eagle award as a “Center of Influence.” (Jayson Camacho)
The soldiers were Tiffany Santos, Ivan Igitol, Andreau Reyes, Elbert Espayos, Ken Mojica, Christopher Del Rosario, Andrew Delos Reyes, Delorina Rabauliman, Danangelo Bicera, Nathaniel Mateo, Hainey Borja, Rita Taitano, Josh Ejercito, John Umbay, Brittney Igitol, and Joey Togawa.
According to CW2 Bernard Aguon of the Guam Army National Guard, the Freedom Salute ceremony allows the community to honor the soldiers for their service and acknowledge the people who supported them and their service for the CNMI.
According to Lt. Col. Michael A. Tougher III, commander for Task Force Guam, it was an honor for him to be part of the ceremony.
Tougher said that 16 of “our sons and daughters have been deployed to a country so far away to fight for our country and a lot of them struggled to understand.”
“We recognized the potential that some of us might not return and a new reality of the daily threats to our lives,” he added.
According to Tougher, the mission of the 16 CNMI soldiers was to conduct security missions across all six international security systems throughout Afghanistan.
Tougher said that Task Force Guam was the largest national guard element at that time of the mission and conducted over 16,500 separate missions.
Other keynote speakers at yesterday’s event were Lt. Col. Romeo J. Delfin, commander, 1st Battalion, 294th Infantry Regiment, and Maj. Gen. Benny M. Paulino, Adjutant General for the Guam National Guard, who also thanked the soldiers for their service.
The Employer Support for the Guard and Reserve, represented by Guam and CNMI ESGR chair David Sablan, also presented awards, called “My Boss is a Patriot,” to some of the employers of these 16 soldiers.
The awardees included Delta Management’s James Arenovski and Ephrem Gangin, who were both nominated by SPC Rita Taitano; IT&E CNMI Fedora Camacho, nominated by SPC Nathaniel Mateo; Marianas Eye Institute’s Dr. David Khorram and Russ Quinn; and Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. chief executive officer Esther Muña.
Another award was presented to Gov. Eloy S. Inos called the “Center of Influence” award for standing out as the most helpful to the soldiers during their mobilization.
Other “Center of Influence” awardees are the 18th Commonwealth Legislature, Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP), Marie Igitol, Tan Holdings president Jerry Tan, CNMI Veterans Affairs Office director Vicente Camacho, and Dave Sablan of Tan Holdings.
