The ceremony honored the approximately 120 Soldiers of the Brigade, headquartered in Morrisville, who will deploy in support of the 10th Mountain Division to Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The Headquarters Soldiers of the Brigade will command and control Active and Guard aviation units in the central part of Iraq. The Brigade Soldiers bring a great deal of experience to the global war on terror with 70 percent of the unit's Soldiers previously deploying on prior missions across the globe.

The Brigade has deployed Soldiers and subordinate units for every major contingency operation since its inception including Desert Shield/Desert Storm, the Balkan Conflict, Operation Noble Eagle, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The Soldiers of the 449th are trained to oversee reconnaissance and security, air assault and air movement, attack and combat service support missions.

The North Carolina National Guard remains committed to providing ready forces to deploy at a moments notice in support of the global war on terror.