UPB SGA Adopts a Battalion

The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford Student Government Association has adopted the 53rd Joint Movement Control Battalion of the U.S. Army currently serving in Bagram, Afghanistan.

The 53rd is lead by Capt. Justin Demiter, a 2004 Pitt-Bradford graduate who also served as SGA president for two years. This is his second tour of duty in Afghanistan.

Earlier this year, SGA sent 80 letters to soldiers thanking them for their service. Last week SGA asked students, faculty and staff to sign 170 Christmas cards for the battalion and a 6-foot-long banner wishing members happy holidays.

The battalion plans to thank the students by sending them a flag that flew in military aircraft, on a ground convoy and at battalion headquarters in Afghanistan. The flag will then be sent back and put on display in the Frame-Westerberg Commons next semester.

SGA also collected food, magazines, toiletries and other items for the soldiers and will send holiday care packages.

A second round of New Year’s care packages will be shipped Dec. 12. Alumni or community members who would like to donate items may bring them to the president’s office in Hanley Library or the student activities office in the commons through Thursday, Dec. 11.

Popular items for care packages include foods that can be prepared with boiling water or a microwave, phone cards, puzzle books, non-dairy coffee creamer and sunflower seeds and other snack foods.

The photo, provided by Pitt-Bradford, shows Dr. Hashim Yousif, professor of physics, signing a banner that wishes the members of the 53rd Joint Movement Control Battalion happy holidays. The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford Student Government Association has adopted the battalion, which is led by Pitt-Bradford alumnus Capt. Justin Demiter ’04.