Support the Troops

On August 31, 1949, Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson announced the creation of an Armed Forces Day. This one-day celebration came from the unification of the Armed Forces under one department, the Department of Defense.

In 2010, the American Morgan Horse Association adopted the 340 members of Vermont's National Guard 172nd squadron which took the name "Task Force Morgan" when they deployed to Afghanistan in the fall of 2009.

The Morgan horse is closely related to Vermont and its military history, playing an important role in many important Civil War battles.

"We thought Task Force Morgan was appropriate, especially since this is the first opportunity for the 172nd Cavalry to go into theater as a unit," Captain Christopher Gookin told local media. "We're conscious of our cavalry forebears, and we wanted especially to live up to those deeds and attributes."

White the troops from Task Force Morgan have safely returned to Vermont, AMHA still supports the efforts of the American troops overseas.

Photos courtesy of CPT Richard F LaBarre