322nd Engineer Battalion adopts a familiar nickname

When members of the 322nd Engineer Company vice battalion were sent off to their deployment in Afghanistan on January 14th with an hour-long program at Luther college, the departing soldiers got a rousing send-off.  Decorah Mayor Don Arendt promised the soldiers, "We WILL remember you."

It appears that the soldiers also remember the community.  Commander Captain Troy King tells decorahnews.com, "The community was very supportive (during our training from August through January) and my soldiers really appreciated that.  We are looking forward to seeing everyone again around mid January when we return."

When the group arrived in Afghanistan, they selected a call sign, nickname and mascot.  King says the group picked "Viking" as its call sign "to pay tribute to the tremendous support of the community."  King and First Sergeant Brian Losen of Decorah took a picture of themselves holding the Decorah High School flag as a tribute to the community's support.