CAMP TAJI military COMPLEX, Iraq —
Soldiers assigned to the 449th Combat Aviation Brigade traveled more than 6,300 miles in order to support Operations Inherent Resolve and Spartan Shield from November 2017 to August 2018.
And, for Army Sgt. 1st Class Giovanni Ford, the 449th CAB Headquarters and Headquarters Company's supply sergeant and Staff Sgt. Robert Morneau, a crew chief assigned to the 1st Battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), this deployment held a great surprise.
Ford said he ran into quite a few National Guard colleagues from various states.
But the real treat, he said, was reconnecting with Morneau, a childhood friend.
‘The Army is a Small World'
“The Army is a small world,” Ford said. “Running into Staff Sergeant Morneau was the icing on the cake. I haven't seen him in 30 years.”
Both noncommissioned officers are from Smyrna, Delaware, and met while participating in various community-based events.
“We grew up in a very small town where everybody knew each other,” Ford said. “There were church events, social events, the 4-H club, Boy Scouts, Little League baseball, Pop Warner [Youth] football, and tons of school events.”
Ford graduated one year prior to his comrade and decided to join the military.
“The Navy had more opportunity,” Ford said. “At the time, the…
