Brainerd, Minn. — A central Minnesota Army National Guard unit has been honored with the U.S. Military’s highest unit award.
On Friday, the 1st Combined Arms Battalion, 194th Armor Regiment, based in Brainerd, was recognized for their role in saving lives during the evacuation of Afghan citizens and Allied personnel.
Three years ago, the world watched as thousands tried to flee Afghanistan when U.S. troops withdrew and the Taliban took control. Minnesotans from the 1st Combined Arms Battalion, along with the Air Force and Marines, helped get vulnerable Afghans and American citizens to safety.
“It was an incredibly tense and rapidly changing situation, said Major Michael Popp, who was part of the team that helped rescue over 124,000 people, including American citizens, U.S. employees, and Afghan refugees, in less than 15 days.
It was surreal, Popp added. When we got off the plane, there were refugees who had lost their homes, desperate to escape.
The unit received three awards: the Meritorious Unit Commendation, the Superior Unit Award, and the Presidential Unit Citation, the highest honor for a military unit.
“The Presidential Unit Citation is like receiving a Distinguished Service Cross, but for the entire unit. It’s the highest honor we can get, said Popp. The same unit also received this award during World War II for defending the Philippines after the Pearl Harbor attack.
This award isn’t just for the 194th but for the entire Minnesota National Guard and all Minnesotans, Popp said.
The Minnesota National Guard, which has over 13,000 soldiers and airmen across 58 communities, is the most deployed National Guard in the country.