515th Battalion May Be Back In A Month’s Time

By John Larson

SOCORRO – The 515th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, formerly headquartered at the National Guard Armory in Socorro may be returning home after its year’s deployment in Iraq.
This is according to an e-mail communication from commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Ken Nava at Task Force 515, Camp Bucca, Iraq.
“Our redeployment timeline still is not totally locked in stone, but we continue preparing to go home,” Nava stated.
The battalion was deployed to Iraq June 10, 2009. The City of Socorro and DAV held a Patriotic Picnic on the plaza for members of the battalion, their families, and community supporters. About 600 people crowded the plaza to give the soldiers a warm send-off.
The National Guard unit, which includes nine soldiers from Socorro, was to be overseas for one year.
Captain Jason Peete, Commander of the 919th MP Company in Belen, said in an email the battalion should be back in New Mexico in the next few weeks.
“Right now we are anticipating their return at the end of April or beginning of May timeframe,” he said. “We tentatively have a Welcome Home/Freedom Salute ceremony scheduled for May 8 at the Calvary Chapel here in Belen.”
Socorro’s DAV Commander Peter Romero said he hopes there will be an opportunity to honor the Guardsmen from Socorro, “or possibly the entire unit when they are all here for training at the armory.”
The history of the 515th CSSB had its beginnings during World War II as the 515th Coast Artillery regiment, made up of New Mexicans to defend the Philippines from Japanese aggression. Its members comprised most the Americans involved in the Bataan Death March.
To honor its heritage, Task Force 515 sponsored a Memorial Death March on Mar. 15 in Iraq. Unlike the annual event at White Sands Missile Range, which is 26.2 miles, the Camp Bucca Memorial Death March was 13 miles.

515th Battalion May Be Back In A Month’s Time