Illinois Army National Guard Soldier Promoted, Another Awarded

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Sgt. Eric Fowler of Lansing, with Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 2nd Battalion 123rd Field Artillery Regiment, recites the noncommissioned officers creed to his unit after being promoted.

SINAI, EGYPT (02/07/2011)(readMedia)-- An Illinois Army National Guard Soldier was recently promoted and another awarded for his accomplishments Jan. 23, while their unit was deployed to Sinai, Egypt.

Spc. Eric Fowler of Lansing, with Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 2nd Battalion 123rd Field Artillery Regiment, was promoted to the rank of sergeant.

Capt. Jeremy Bird of Lorton, Va., commander of Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 2nd Battalion, 123rd Field Artillery Regiment received the Meritorious Service Medal.

Bird was recognized for helping to deploy more than 90,000 Soldiers to overseas missions while he worked at National Guard Bureau in Washington, D.C.

Approximately 440 Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, 123rd Field Artillery Regiment in Milan, Galesburg and Macomb were mobilized in May for a one-year deployment to Sinai, Egypt. The unit is expected to return home around Memorial Day.

The Illinois Army National Guard Soldiers are part of the Multinational Force and Observers. The international peacekeeping force oversees the terms of the 1979 peace treaty between Egypt and Israel.