As 3rd BCT Bids Farewell, 2nd BCT, 1st Armored Div. Strengthens Growing Bond

Capt. Charles Cannon, from Moultrie, Ga., commander of Btry. A, 1-10th FA, Qussin Yassim, local SoI leader, and Capt. Mathew Hustead, of 4-27th FA, join hands to show the continued bond between the SoI and Coalition forces after a farewell luncheon at Tessah Nissan, Iraq, on May 1.

By Pfc. Michael Schuch
2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division

TESSAH NISSAN, Iraq – The commander of Battery A, 1st Battalion, 10th Field Artillery, met with Qussin Yassim, leader of the Tessah Nissan Sons of Iraq group, to bid farewell and introduce the leadership of 4th Battalion, 27th Field Artillery during a ceremony on May 1.

Capt. Charles Cannon, of Moultrie, Ga., commander of Battery A, and Lt. Col. Mark Sullivan, from Huntsville, Ala., commander of the 1-10th FA, expressed his appreciation to Yassim for their strong relationship, and introduced Capt. Mathew Hustead, commander of Battery B, 4-27th FA, and Lt. Col. Michael Mammay, commander of the 4-27th FA. Cannon planned the ceremony to allow Hustead and Yassim the opportunity to meet and continue the working relationship with the SoI group.

The SoI group has played a key role in key infrastructures, such as roads and water distribution facilities. They have helped secure humanitarian aid missions, and identified numerous caches and improvised explosive devices, said Capt. Josh Beard, of Opelika, Ala., civil military operations officer for the 1-10th FA.

Yassim expressed his gratitude for the assistance provided by Cannon.

“I hope to continue the same relationship with Lt. Col. Mammay and Capt. Hustead so that Tessah Nissan will stay secure,” Yassim said.

Sullivan thanked Yassim for the warm welcome of the new SoIdiers, “I hope you continue to treat them (4-27th FA) as you’ve treated us.”

Yassim closed the meeting by saying, “We hope and pray we can continue to work together as well as we have.”

The 1-10th FA, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, from Fort Benning, Ga., has been deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, since March 2007.

The 4-27th FA, 2nd BCT, 1st Armored Div., from Baumholder, Germany, deployed in support of OIF in April.