Published: June 19, 2009 09:07 am      

British military unit serving in Badin

Thursday, June 18, 2009 — Members of the British Army have been serving in Stanly County for several weeks as part of a training exchange program between the United States and Britain.

More than two dozen members of the 43rd Headquarters & Support Squadron (43rd HQ & SP Sqn)- Royal Engineers unit had the task of completing improvements to the national military training center at the Badin Air National Guard Station (ANG).

Thirty-four British soldiers have been working 14-hour days on the improvements, which included constructing a 48 foot by 100 foot steel building.

“We had three main tasks to complete, which included erecting a steel frame building, pouring of 200 meters of concrete and clearing trees and shrubs at [Stanly Community College],” said Capt. Chris Marren.

“But our main objective is to foster relations with U.S. forces by learning their equipment and techniques. It helps us understand the way that the American forces actually work so if ever we do deploy somewhere together, we can use that equipment straightaway without lots of pre-training.”

Marren is serving as the IC (in command) during the deployment.

The unit has also made time to take in the sites around the area, which included taking a tour of Lowe’s Motor Speedway and visiting Myrtle Beach.

Marren said the trip has gone very well and the objectives have been met.

“We’ve made a lot of good firends here, both military and civilian. We have been warmly welcomed by everybody,” Marren said.

Though this is the first trip to America for about 80 percent of the unit, Marren said many of the soldiers have enjoyed the trip so much that they would be willing to come back.

“This is a good group and the community has really welcomed them with open arms. The county will probably never be the same after they leave,” said ANG Master Sgt. Casper.

The unit will be returning next week, and so a farewell gathering was held in their honor Monday at the Hudson Lodge in Albemarle.

Also as part of the exchange program, a U.S. military unit from Arizona has been serving in Britain.



Contact Tiffany Thompson at (704) 982-2121 ext. 24 or snaponline24@carolina.rr.com.