Two Fort Polk units were recognized on Friday for their extraordinary heroism and exceptional conduct during their deployments to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Both units served 14 months in Iraq, and both quickly found themselves challenged beyond their training.
The 3rd Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment of the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division served in the Iraqi district of Rusafa, which is Baghdad's city center with more than 600,000 residents, the mayoral seat, 13 ministries, two embassies, two universities, several major markets including the largest in Iraq and many cultural attractions.
"Because the soldiers took seriously their job day to day (and because of the) synergy of the soldiers' efforts, the unit got the award," said Command Sgt. Major Ronald Semerena of the 3-89.  "But it's the soldiers of that unit who deserve the recognition."
According to Semerena, who was the operations sergeant major during the unit's deployment to Baghdad, the squadron's approximately 450 soldiers (with attachments), learned to deal with a variety of challenges that tested their training.
The 3-89, which moved into the area in and around the Al Rusafa District of Baghdad as the 512 Parachute Regiment was moving out, was tasked with helping transform the Iraqis into a secure government. Besides Al Quaida forces, the unit found itself up against gang and criminal activity, as well.
"That's what we found to be a challenge," said Semerena. The Squadron is not a police force. "We had to figure that out."
The soldiers quickly acclimated, performing 4,500 combat patrols, raids and civil-military operations. Soldiers trained and then worked hand in hand with Iraqi National Police, the Iraqi Army and the Sons of Iraq to provide security, which in turn revitalized the economy.
Soldiers also developed relationships with locals while managing renovations, infrastructure repair projects, road paving and beautification projects.
One focus of the squadron was the capture of high value individuals, or those whom the brigade commander deemed important financiers of the gang and criminal activity, said Semerena. In all, the 3-89 captured 18 such persons, with the total number of captures numbering 111.
In the end, Semerena said, the squadron helped transform the city and its residents. By the end of the squadron's deployment, Iraqi residents had begun to look to their future and make plans by opening stores and populating the marketplaces. No longer were they simply surviving from day to day.
Despite the dangerous terrain and conditions, the 3-89 lost only two of its own: Capt. Michael Norman and Spc. Jeffrey Nichols.
In recognition of the unit's service, the 3-89 Cavalry Regiment was given the Army's Valorous Unit Award in a ceremony Friday morning. The award is given to units for extraordinary heroism in action against an armed enemy of the United States of America. The degree of heroism required for the Valorous Unit Award is the same as that which would warrant award of the Silver Star to an individual.
The 94th Brigade Support Battalion was also recognized Friday afternoon with the Meritorious Unit Commendation.The 94th Brigade Support Battalion deployed more than 820 soldiers to Forward Operating Base Rustamiyah in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The soldiers supported the 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light) by providing combat service support and combat health support while the infantry  conducting counter-insurgency operations. The 94th was also charged with providing command and control of base defense in order to secure Forward Operating Base Rustamiyah, Iraq. 
Within the first few months of its deployment, the battallion faced a change in its mission, said the 94th's Command Sgt. Maj. Gloria Farrow.
"The change in mission was something every last solder embraced very early on," Farrow said. "They were not selfish about it, even though they didn't have the information beforehand.
"I am extremely proud of the soldiers of the Strength and Honor Battalion," Farrow added. "(The soldiers) held true to their name and legacy as they played a vital role in the ... war against terrorism." 
The 94th soldiers, among other things, emplaced equipment, vehicles, weapon systems, and personnel along the perimeter and on towers, providing force protection to over 3,800 soldiers, sailors, airmen and civilians on FOB Rustamiyah. The soldiers also conducted more than 275 ground missions, drove over 4,500 miles, issued over 2.3 million gallons of fuel, distributed over 7,000 meals ready to eat and transported and placed over 3,000 barriers throughout East Baghdad, Iraq.
The battalion's field maintenance company provided continuous maintenance support with more than 10,000 maintenance jobs and 31 immediate recovery missions, managed 30 battle damage and battle loss sanitation missions and assisted in the turn-in of battle damaged vehicles from numerous units throughout Eastern Baghdad. Within the first six months of deployment, the medical company treated more than 4,600 patients, of which 87 were wounded in action. 
As with the 3-89 Squadron, the 94th also lost two of its own during the deployment: Sgt. Mark Stone and Sgt. Marcus Mathes.
The Meritorious Unit Commendation is awarded to units for exceptionally meritorious conduct in performance of outstanding services for at least six continuous months during the period of military operations against an armed enemy.
Service in a combat zone is not required, but must be directly related to the combat effort.
The unit must display such outstanding devotion and superior performance of exceptionally difficult tasks as to set it apart and above other units with similar missions. The degree of achievement required is the same as that which would warrant award of the Legion of Merit to an individual.