December 17, 2009: As we head into the holiday season, I'm aware that we all have our own special traditions and hope that this year finds you with time to spend with your loved ones in whatever way you celebrate the holidays. Most of us know what it is like to spend the holiday season away from home and we know how special it is to share those moments once again with our families when we return. These precious moments are paid for in full by the sacrifices of our Soldier's and Airmen's time, comfort and safety; and our families have earned those moments through the many adjustments that our absences have required.
Thank you to the men and women who serve in the Wisconsin National Guard, Wisconsin Emergency Management and the Department of Military Affairs - we are grateful for your service to our state and nation. Last month, Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told attendees at the National Guard Senior Leaders' Conference that he cannot distinguish the National Guard from active duty Soldiers and Airmen when they serve shoulder to shoulder overseas. I could not agree more, having seen thousands of Wisconsin National Guard Soldiers and Airmen deploy in support of the global war on terror as well as other military missions, and hearing how our men and women perform their missions with professionalism and excellence. The Wisconsin National Guard adds enduring value to our nation.
Our Soldiers and Airmen perform with dignity and poise, and have never failed to complete the mission. We recently welcomed back the 115th Fighter Wing and the 951st "Sapper" Engineer Company, who each raised the bar as they performed their missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, respectively. Guard members still in the fight include the 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team and the headquarters element of the 732nd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion in Iraq; the 115th Security Forces Squadron in the Middle East; and our Embedded Training Team in Afghanistan.
To those men and women deployed through this holiday season, serving our nation overseas, a special thank you. I join my entire leadership team in wishing you all a very Merry Christmas.
Sincerely,
Donald P. Dunbar
Brigadier General (WI)
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