![]() The Soldiers constructing the memorial were not building a memorial to honor Warriors unknown to them. The maintenance team assigned to Forward Operating Base (FOB) Ramadi worked with a special sense of duty and honor to construct the memorial. Once the brigade leadership approved the design, it was time to construct the memorial. ![]() She was able to harness that talent to lead the effort in designing great symbolism into the memorial. LT McGary was a traditional Pennsylvania National Guardsman and she was an art teacher as a civilian. LT McGary was able to bring special skills to the brigade above and beyond her competence as a medical platoon leader assigned to Charlie Medical Company of the 228th Forward Support Battalion. LT McGary and SPC Gomez gave a moving presentation complete with a sketch and a small model and their concept was unanimously approved. 2LT Colleen McGarry & SPC Raul Gomez presented a concept to the Brigade Commander, COL John Gronski, the Brigade Command Sergeant Major, CSM Chad Pysher, and The Brigade Executive Officer, LTC Christopher Yeakle. A call went out throughout the brigade for Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, and Airmen to submit concepts for the design of the memorial. It was at that time that the leadership of 2/28 BCT decided a memorial to pay tribute to those Fallen Warriors should be erected in Ramadi. By the end of December 2005, in the midst of significant fighting, the 2/28 BCT had 48 Warriors killed in action in operations in Ramadi and Habiniya. The 2/28 BCT Fallen Warrior Memorial was originally designed and constructed in Ramadi, Iraq by the Soldiers who served there. The 2/28 BCT conducted counterinsurgency operations in Al Anbar Province, Iraq from July 2005 to June 2006 under the command and control of the 2nd Marine Division and then the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward). Iraqi Army units were also attached to 2/28 BCT and by the time 2/28 BCT left Iraq in June 2006, 3 Iraqi Army brigades consisting of approximately 5,000 Iraqi Soldiers were task organized to 2/28 BCT. Once deployed to Iraq, the 2/28 BCT was further task organized with one Marine and one active duty Army battalion and other combat and combat support elements bringing the brigade to over 5,400 Soldiers, Marines, Sailors and Air Force personnel. The 2/28 BCT consisted of National Guard Soldiers from 30 states, more than 4,100 members strong, of which approximately 2,100 were members of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. Known as the “IRON BRIGADE,” it marked the division’s largest mobilization for combat since World War II. ![]() The 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 28th Infantry Division (2/28 BCT), Pennsylvania Army National Guard was mobilized in January 2005 to support Operation Iraqi Freedom. ![]()
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