Arizona Reserve Battalion Mobilizes to Fort Bliss, Texas

Capt. Sam Ku - 2nd Battalion, 363rd Training Support Regiment, 5th Armored Briga

January signified not only the beginning of a new year, but also the transition to active duty for the 2nd Battalion, 363rd Training Support Regiment, Task Force Black Scorpion, 5th Armored Brigade, Division West, from Mesa, Ariz.

The battalion was called to active duty to support Operation Enduring Freedom. On Jan. 5, approximately 80 Soldiers from Task Force Black Scorpion packed their bags, said goodbye to their Family and friends, and reported for duty here.

Task Force Black Scorpion Soldiers will spend the next year working and living at Fort Bliss, where they will train and mentor deploying joint warfighters.

"This is a very historical moment for the battalion," said Master Sgt. Jerry Silva, battalion operations noncommissioned officer. "It has been a long time since the battalion was last mobilized to support an operation."

Task Force Black Scorpion's most recent mobilization was in 2003. The battalion's previous mobilization before '03 was in World War II, when they aided in defeating German forces in Italy in three separate campaigns. This mobilization will mark the fourth time this unit has mobilized to support an operation.

Being mobilized produces different emotions for different Soldiers in the battalion.

Sgt. Miguel Fernandez, Alpha Team small arms instructor and an infantryman by trade, said he loves the chance to share his knowledge of marksmanship and conduct physical training.

"This is a great chance to get and/or stay in shape," Fernandez said.

Although some Soldiers face the deployment with feelings of separation, they meet their responsibilities with great zeal.

"Even though I'm going to miss my family greatly," said Sgt. 1st Class Robert Eddy, Task Force Black Scorpion unit administrator, "this is going to be a great chance for me to serve my country."

When asked about the mobilization, Staff Sgt. Jamie Dominguez, a Task Force Black Scorpion observer controller-trainer said, "I'm very excited to train the joint warfighters and send them down range."