Back from warring with Iraq’s ‘bad guys’...
Sgt. Wong ‘proud’ to be parade’s Grand Marshal

       After months of taking fire in Iraq, U.S. Army Sgt. Robert Wong rode down Colorado Avenue in style March 12, seated in a bright blue Jaguar convertible - his honor for being named the St. Patrick's Day Parade's Grand Marshal - and surrounded by 10 of his compatriots from the 984th Military Police Company. Standing in front of the Jaguar he would ride in as Grand 
Marshal, Army Sgt. Robert Wong (foreground) poses with 
10 fellow members of the 984th Military Police Company 
shortly before the St. Patrick’s Day Parade began March 
12 in Old Colorado City.
Westside Pioneer photo
       Interviewed beforehand, Wong said being named Grand Marshal was a “great, major honor. I'm proud to be here.”
       The parade was not his first public appearance, having represented Fort Carson and the Army at other local events since returning from Iraq in January. “I try to give back to the community whenever possible,” he said.
       He and his unit served in the Baghdad area as part of the war effort titled Operation Iraqi Freedom. Their work included training Iraqi police and securing roads during the Fallujah offensive last fall. Overall, he said, “We made sure the bad guys weren't running around.”
       Along the way, the 984th faced frequent enemy attacks - particularly mortar and small-arms fire, plus a roadside bomb that left two soldiers with burns. “Everyone here has seen some type of action,” Wong said, waving toward the others in his unit.
       Wong previously served in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. His assessment of the war in Iraq is that “it's going good. We're staying strong and doing our job. And we're getting great support from stateside.”
       Wong is not sure what's next for him and the 984th. “We're here till the next deployment,” he said.

Westside Pioneer article