North Carolina Guard reactivates battalion, boosts readiness

LENOIR, N.C. - The North Carolina National Guard 2nd Battalion, 120th Infantry Regiment, 30th Mobile Brigade Combat Team unfurled its colors for the first time in two decades when the unit was officially reactivated Oct. 18, increasing Guard readiness and its ability to support North Carolina citizens during emergencies.

"Our Citizen-Soldiers are an always-ready, ready team standing by to defend our way of life overseas or here at home, wherever the mission takes us," said U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Charles Morrison, the assistant adjutant general - maneuver of the North Carolina National Guard, during a reactivation ceremony.

The unit's reactivation was a strategic decision that expanded infantry operations in western North Carolina as the 30th Brigade transitioned from a mechanized combat unit to a mobile combat unit.

"The NCNG is excited to expand our footprint in Western North Carolina and provide new capabilities here at home if a natural or man-made disaster strikes," Morrison said.

The 2-120th Mountain Rifles' lineage dates back to World War I. The unit is known for its worldwide historical contributions, particularly during the 1944 Battle of Mortain on Hill 314 in France. The unit members' unwavering courage and fierce determination led to victories and an indisputable place in history books.

With the unit colors once again flying high at the front of the formation, more than 650 Guardsmen have inherited this legacy as the new Mountain Rifles.

"As Mountain Rifles, we will honor the legacy represented by these colors through our actions, our standards and how we take care of one another," said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Quadean Knight, commander of the 2nd Battalion, 120th Infantry Regiment.