Captain King: "Be proud of who you are"

A brief ceremony in the Decorah High School auditorium officially marked the end of the 322nd Engineering Battalion's deployment.

The unit's commander, CPT Troy King, noted that the battalion had built seven brand new bases, six surveillance sites, six operation centers and 30 miles of road while in Afghanistan.

Second-in-command 1SGT Brian Losen thanked the Northeast Iowa community for its support of the unit during the deployment, saying, "We knew we had the support of the community back home...it made it easier for us."

Then, at the end of the ceremony, the soldiers were dismissed--and they were free to reunite with their families.

The Decorah HS auditorium was full

SGT Mark Langreck presented an American flag to CPT Troy King in memory of former 322nd member James Skilling, who died of cancer last year