More than 1,200 Guardsmen being honored this weekend

Nashville, TN – Freedom Salute ceremonies for more than 1,200 Tennessee National Guardsmen from 14 units across Tennessee are being held Saturday and Sunday to honor Soldiers from the Guard’s 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment who recently returned from Iraq.

The ceremony not only honors the Guardsmen, but their families as well as individuals or groups in the respective communities who went “above and beyond” in assisting the units and families during deployment. Maj. Gen. Max Haston, Tennessee Adjutant General, is the featured speaker at each event.

Each Soldier is being presented a beautiful, cased American flag, a ceremonial coin, medallion and lapel pin to commemorate their service to their country. Guardsmen who have served more than one tour of duty will receive special recognition.

The prestigious Minuteman Statue and a large, framed, American flag mosaic will also be given to individuals and organizations or businesses in the community for their outstanding support of the unit and families during the deployment.

Soldiers of the 278th ACR began returning home in June of this year, six months earlier than expected. The regiment is the largest single unit in the Tennessee National Guard.

The ceremonies began Saturday morning when more than 300 Soldiers from three units in Knoxville were honored. The event was held at West High School.

Schedule for Sunday, December 5th

• 108 soldiers from Guard units in Covington and Memphis being honored. The ceremony will be held at the Pat Thompson Conference Center, 5,700 Attu Street in Millington. Set to begin promptly at 8:30am.
• 811 soldiers from units in Huntingdon, Waynesboro, Humboldt, Parsons, Henderson, Selmer, Lobelville. McKenzie and Milan being honored. Ceremony begins promptly at 1:30pm at Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson.