Soldiers from the New York Army National Guard were honored in Peekskill Saturday for their work providing safety for the nine million Iraqi voters who went to the polls last year.

In a ceremony at Camp Smith Military Reserve, National Guard soldiers of the 53rd Army Liaison Team received medals of honor, a commemorative flag and a certificate of appreciation. The specialized hand-picked unit of 23 served in Iraq for over a year working with UN agencies as they coordinated with the Iraqis to rebuild the country, both economically and politically.

The 53rd Army Liaison Team was mobilized back in December 2004. There are only a handful of similar specialized National Guard units throughout the country.