Georgians join Georgians to provide Baghdad security

Blackanthem.com, BAGHDAD, Iraq, April 9, 2005

The 4th Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division has welcomed a new infantry battalion to its ranks. And, just like most of the units in the Fort Stewart-based division, the soldiers of this battalion are from Georgia.

However, most of these soldiers don't speak English.

The 13th Infantry Battalion joins the 4th BCT from the country of Georgia, a former Soviet Republic located on the Black Sea between Turkey and Russia.

The 550-soldier battalion will be responsible for security at two of the most important sites in Baghdad—the al-Rasheed Hotel and the Iraqi Convention Center, the home to the newly-elected Iraqi National Assembly. The battalion will also provide security for United Nations convoys in Baghdad.

"We look forward to helping the people of Iraq launch their own democracy," said Capt. George Shengalia, the 13th Battalion commander. He pointed out that Georgia is a new democracy, and said he understands the need for security during this transition.

The 13th is called the "Shavnabada" battalion, named for a type of cloak worn by medieval warriors. The most famous shavnabada was worn by the patron saint of Georgia, Saint George. The battalion's crest includes the word "Shavnabada" in Georgian, the battalion's symbol, the Griffin, and the number 13.

The Shavnabada battalion was established with the independence of Georgia from the Soviet Union in 1991. It saw combat a year later, conducting an amphibious assault from the Black Sea in northwest Georgia. In 2003, the battalion received advanced training and equipment from the U.S. Marine Corps.

More than 90 percent of the soldiers currently serving in Iraq are veterans of fighting a guerilla insurgency in the South Ossettia region of the country in October 2004.

Col. Ed Cardon, the commander of the 4th BCT, welcomed the addition of the Georgian soldiers to the Vanguard Brigade.

"The Shavnabada battalion has a vital role to play in the security of Baghdad and Iraq, and I am confident in their abilities," he said. "The 13th Infantry makes a welcome addition to the Vanguard team.” 

He also said he’s especially pleased that Shengalia has chosen to allow its soldiers to wear the 3rd Inf. Div. patch as the unit's combat patch for this deployment.
Georgian soldiers wear their unit patch on their left shoulder, as well as combat patches and a subdued Georgian flag. They wear American-style desert combat uniforms with black flak vests and load-carrying combat equipment. On their kevlars, all soldiers wear a seven-pointed star, a common Georgian symbol.

Most of the soldiers in the 13th Bn. speak both Georgian and Russian. Most also understand a few words of English, and can read English letters and numbers.

All important checkpoints and Georgian missions include interpreters.

Other coalition countries supporting the Multi-National Division-Baghdad include Estonia and Macedonia.

By - Capt. Stephen L. Gifford
4th BCT PAO