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The REPUBLICAN & Herald
1/28/2009
National Guard patches presented to Yuengling
By STEPHEN J. PYTAK
The D.G. Yuengling & Sons seal is printed
on numerous items, from beer cans, bottles, shirts, hats
and, believe it or not, patches worn by a certain Army National
Guard unit on overseas missions.
"It reminds of home, actually," said Chief Warrant
Officer Joseph T. Witmer of Etters, York County, who wears
a patch that resembles the label on Yuengling Traditional
Lager beer.
Before mobilizing Thursday to prepare for a tour in Iraq,
nine Army National Guard soldiers from the 2nd Battalion
104th Aviation, Fort Indiantown Gap, Annville, saluted Yuengling
President Richard "Dick" Yuengling Jr. Tuesday
morning at the brewery gift shop in Pottsville, thanking
him for allowing the unit to merge his colors with theirs.
"We’re very appreciative," said Capt. Nathan
D. Smith, Lebanon.
"Your appreciation of me is exceeded by my appreciation
of you. Good luck to everybody," Yuengling said.
"The patches are something Mr. Yuengling had authorized
for us on our last deployment, which was in October 2004
in Kosovo. What patch you have will depend on what unit
you’re in," Witmer said.
While they resemble the labels on the brewery’s beers
and carry the Yuengling trademark, a few words were changed.
For instance, on Witmer’s patch, the word "Lager"
was substituted with the word "Lift." On the patch
that resembles the Yuengling Original Black & Tan label,
the words "Black & Tan" were replaced by "Black
Hawk."
"The patches were authorized by the Pennsylvania Army
National Guard as our unit patch. They went through the
chain of command to allow it to be used. As a great supporter
of the military, Mr. Yuengling authorized us to use his
symbol on our patches," Witmer said.
The unit presented Yuengling with a few gifts, included
a framed shadow-box display featuring the unit’s five
Yuengling patches. A mini gold-plated inscription on front
stated: "To D.G. Yuengling & Sons Inc. for your
devoted support of 2-104th GSAB." The unit also gave
Yuengling an Army-green flight suit, tagged with a Yuengling
patch and an identification patch with Yuengling’s
name on it "with air crew wings," Witmer said.
Vickie Lord, a Yuengling tour guide, led the soldiers dressed
in olive greens and digital-pattern camouflage, through
the Mahantongo Street brewery.
The battalion also presented Yuengling with a plaque from
the Army National Guard’s recruiting retention section
for his long-standing support of the military services.
The battalion is made up of more than 600 soldiers, including
more than 350 from Pennsylvania. On Thursday the unit will
mobilize to prepare to travel to Fort Sill, Okla., on Sunday
for two months of training before heading to Kuwait, with
an ultimate destination of Iraq.
The battalion is a helicopter battalion that will provide
air transportation in Iraq, Witmer said.
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