Georgian soldiers welcomed home
Thursday, July 24
Soldiers of the 23rd Battalion of the II Infantry Brigade returned from Afghanistan. 150 battalion members were welcomed back home by the Deputy Defence Ministry Irakli Gegechkori, Deputy Chief of General Staff of the Georgian Armed Forces Col. Roman Jokhadze, Sergeant Major of the Georgian Armed Forces Aluda Kopaliani, the U.S. Ambassador to Georgia Richard Norland and the U.S. Military Attache Col. Matthew Dimmick at the Alekseevka military airfield.
23rd Battalion of the II Infantry Brigade was serving at the Camp Leatherneck under the ISAF mission during four months. The 23rd Battalion is the last Georgian unit that has served at the military camp along with other Georgian units who served under the Georgian flag during four years on a rotation basis. A few days ago accomplishment of ISAF mission was marked with a solemn ceremony at Camp Leatherneck. Military base under the U.S. command has been closed related to transition of security responsibility to the Afghan National Security forces due to be completed at the end of 2014, when ISAF’s mission will end.
Under the U.S. Command the Georgian military servicemen were carrying out the full spectrum of operations during four months. The 23rd Battalion returned home without suffering any casualties. All personnel of the battalion will arrive in Georgia in a few weeks.
