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1-149th Battalion Commander, Lt. Col. Eddie Simpson presents Capt. Michael Moynahan, Battalion Training Officer, with the unit's new patch aligning the organization with the 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team at the CSM Harold L. Disney Training Center in Artemus, Kentucky Oct. 15th.. The the 116th IBCT is based out of the Virginia Army National Guard. (photo submitted)
Staff Report
ARTEMUS, Ky. -- Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 149th Infantry based out of London, Ky., conducted a patching ceremony to mark their new affiliation with the 116th Infantry Brigade Combat Team from the Virginia Army National Guard at the CSM Harold L. Disney Training Center in Artemus, Kentucky Oct. 15th.
"On behalf of Col. Scott Smith, I welcome the 1-149th Infantry Battalion to our Brigade," said Lt. Col. Joseph DiNonno, the 116th IBCT Executive Officer. "We look forward to training alongside the Mountain Warriors in the future."
The 1-149 will become the third Infantry maneuver Battalion for the Brigade. The 116th IBCT Soldiers are part of the 29th Infantry Division, and wear the "blue and gray" patch. Lt. Col. DiNonno was able to participate in the ceremony, representing Col. Smith, Brigade Commander of the 116th, who just recently returned from the U.S. Virgin Islands where elements of the 116th took part in hurricane relief operations.
"We've been working on this new partnership for over two years and now it is official, commented Lt. Col. Eddie Simpson, 1-149th Battalion Commander. "The Infantry Battalion in Kentucky has a new home as part of an Infantry Brigade Combat Team which will improve our access to training and resources in preparation for whatever missions lie ahead for the Mountain Warriors."