Most people have no idea what my job was during my last deployment in 2020, as I rarely speak about it. Today, I wanted to share with everyone how privileged I was to be able to command the Army’s only active-duty Military History Detachment (at the time), before I retired after 27 years on active service.
While deployed under FORSCOM at Fort Bragg, N.C., my two-person unit collected, processed, and escorted home precious artifacts from a historical event in Iraq to the Army Museum Enterprise at the U.S. Army Center of Military History in Fort Belvoir, Va.
Shortly after being redeployed home with the collection, I was notified by the Center of Military History that some of my artifacts were chosen to be on display at the National Museum of the United States Army (MUSA), and I was truly astonished!
The donating unit and their Soldiers, along with the 44th Military History Detachment, are grateful to have these artifacts tell just a small piece of their incredible story. We also want to say a special “THANK YOU” to the MUSA for allowing these precious artifacts to be housed in such an honorable showcase of history in their museum.
My artifact collection is now housed at the National Museum of the United States Army, and the collection can be found in the “Modern Warfare” gallery, one of the last displays in the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) gallery.
Under the unfortunate circumstances, it was an honor to bring something of this magnitude home to the U.S, to give a tiny glimpse of the historic events that unfolded. I have spoken with the unit and Soldier that I retrieved these items from and have thanked them for entrusting and allowing me to share their story. These artifacts are the last remaining objects that were not destroyed in the ballistic missile attack. It warms my heart to be able to follow through and present them with these photos. I am truly humbled.
By Sharjuan Burgos
Outreach Director, Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinics at Centerstone in Fayetteville, NC
Editor’s note: For more context view this CBS Evening News story. Please view the artifacts in this photo gallery:
