A ceremony at a North Georgia military training site this morning officially named a new Chattanooga-based U.S. Army Reserve company.
The "Fighting" 316th Engineer Mobility Augmentation Company's troops unfurled their company flag, called a guidon, to mark the unit's activation the Tennessee Army National Guard Volunteer Training Site in Catoosa County, Ga.
Capt. Lex Oren Jr. is the company commander. The Collegedale resident and Hardy Elementary School teacher called the task of forming a new unit both challenging and a privilege.
The 316th is made up of combat engineers, who use explosives to breach enemy defenses such as minefields and who build defenses, such as berms, to defend against enemy attacks, Oren said.
The 316th was formed under the 2007 "Grow the Army" initiative that aimed to confront modern small-war tactics.
"Since 2003 we've seen a significant increase in improvised explosive devices," Oren said.
The unit will be based at the Army Reserve Center, 6503 Bonny Oaks Drive, when construction is finished, according to a news release.