(1/8/10) – This week, eight Army National Guard brigade combat teams were either returning to their home states from overseas or preparing to deploy to Iraq or Afghanistan. Almost 60,000 Guardsmen have been mobilized for overseas missions as of today, according to Guard reports.
Returning units involved in this transition include the 28th Combat Aviation Brigade of Pennsylvania, the 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team (HBCT) of North Carolina and the 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) of Wisconsin.
Deploying units include the 53rd Brigade Combat Team (BCT) of Florida, the 72nd IBCT of Texas, the 278th HBCT of Tennessee, the 86th BCT of Vermont and the 256th IBCT of Louisiana.
Pennsylvania
The 28th CAB of the Pennsylvania National Guard, also known as Task Force Keystone, began arriving at Fort Dix, N.J., in December after their successful eight-month deployment to Iraq. The remaining elements of the CAB will redeploy in mid-January.
While in Iraq, the pilots, mechanics and support personnel provided helicopter air support and transportation needed to aid Iraq's transition to local security force control.
Col. Teresa A. Gallagher, the CAB commander, led the Soldiers into Iraq. Her initial challenge was to bring together all the elements of the brigade from nine states.
Once fully deployed, the 28th CAB took control of aviation operations in southern Iraq and performed the full-spectrum of aviation operation tasks, including troop and equipment transport, combat operations, air-assault training for Iraqi and U.S. special-operations forces, and airlifting non-operational vehicles from the battlefield.
Under Gallagher's leadership, the Guardsmen flew in excess of 25,000 flight hours, moved almost 60,000 passengers and 2.5 billion pounds of cargo, and participated in multiple combat missions, all with the use of CH-47 Chinook, AH-64 Apache and UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters.
The brigade also had the first all-female medical evacuation team make history during the deployment. "There must have been another all-female MEDEVAC crew somewhere, but I haven't seen one," said Chief Warrant Officer Andrea Galatian, the pilot.
The 28th CAB also celebrated its 50th birthday, which it marked by receiving a combat patch for its service in Iraq.
"As the leader of this tremendous group of Soldiers, I must say that I couldn't be more proud," said Gallagher.
North Carolina
Soldiers from the 30th HBCT of the North Carolina National Guard are also preparing for redeployment this month after spending about eight months in Iraq.
The mission of the brigade, also known as "Old Hickory" and made up of 4,000 Soldiers, was to secure an area south of Baghdad.
"We set out to accomplish our mission by focusing primarily along two main lines of effort,” said Col. Gregory Lusk, the commander of the brigade and Multinational Division-Baghdad. “The first being our partnership with the Iraqi security forces and the combined security operations that we do together, as well as civil capacity. And we see both of these lines of efforts being inextricably linked to the goal of securing the population."
The brigade has also played an instrumental part in other successes now being seen in Iraq, including the country's upcoming national elections.
"We recognized early on that this would be a key event for our time here in Iraq, and all of our efforts since our day of arrival have been dedicated toward accomplishing this goal and setting the conditions and supporting the Iraqi desires for holding these important elections," said Lusk.
Wisconsin
The return of the 32nd IBCT of the Wisconsin Army National Guard from an eight-month deployment to Iraq began Jan. 5, when about 115 Soldiers from Troop A, 105th Cavalry arrived at Volk Field, Wis.
About 3,200 members of the 32nd, augmented by six other Wisconsin Army National Guard units, were ordered to active duty Feb. 1, 2009 and deployed to Iraq in April and May following two months of training at Fort Bliss, Texas.
Troop A was stationed at eight different bases in northern Iraq.
Capt. Matthew McDonald, Troop A commander, said the unit directly supported Gen. Raymond Odierno, commander of the Multi-National Force in Iraq, his staff and their operations in Iraq to stabilize the Iraqi government and protect U.S. forces. This also involved working with joint Department of Defense agencies.
MacDonald said Troop A completed more than 1,700 missions in Iraq. "It's still a very dangerous place, but I'm confident your efforts helped make it a better place," he said. "Your stories are yours to tell, or not to tell."
Some of the missions that Troop A conducted are still governed by operational security concerns, but senior Wisconsin National Guard leaders made no secret of their pride in the unit.
"You did a phenomenal job on a phenomenal mission," said Brig. Gen. Mark Anderson, commander of the Wisconsin Army National Guard. "What you accomplished will have a lasting effect on Iraq."
McDonald credited his lower enlisted and NCOs with the unit's success. "This was very much a bottom-driven job," he explained. "Specialists, sergeants and staff sergeants were mission leaders. Every Soldier had a tremendous amount of responsibility placed on him. They did a phenomenal, outstanding job."
The Soldiers will now spend about a week at nearby Fort McCoy for demobilization processing – which includes briefing each Soldier about resources and benefits available to help them transition back to civilian life – before being released from active duty.
Florida
More than 600 Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 124th Infantry Regiment left Jan. 5 from the Ft. Lauderdale International Airport to become part of the Florida Army National Guard’s largest, single-unit deployment since World War II.
The Soldiers joined nearly 2,000 other men and women from the 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team who are deploying from across the state this week.
They flew to Ft. Hood, Texas, where they will receive additional training before departing for Southwest Asia for a yearlong mission in Kuwait and Iraq, where they will perform various security missions, including providing convoy security for coalition forces entering and departing Iraq.
During a ceremony prior to the unit’s departure, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist lauded the Soldiers for their service.
“You who stand before us are very brave men and women of the Florida National Guard,” he said. “Your commitment to securing the freedom and democracy is what we are all here (for) today. Our state and our country are grateful – enormously grateful – for your courage.”
Speaking to the Soldiers and their families gathered for the ceremony, the governor said he has seen the sacrifices made by the Florida National Guard during both state and federal deployments.
“You remind us of the courage and the true determination that define America and her freedom,” he said.
Crist also noted the sacrifices made by the families of the deploying Soldiers, adding that “service men and women are not the only ones who make sacrifices” during deployments.
“We are joined today by many of your family members,” he said. “They truly make sacrifices as well.”
Texas
The 72nd IBCT has been busy preparing for and focusing on Operation Iraqi Freedom in the New Mexico desert outside of El Paso, Texas.
In Iraq, the 72nd IBCT headquarters will operate as the Joint Area Support Group-Central with responsibility for the administration and security of the International Zone in Baghdad.
Part of the 72nd IBCT’s assignment is to support the drawdown of U.S. forces in Iraq and the return of U.S.-controlled properties in the International Zone to the government of Iraq.
About 3,000 soldiers, to include the 1-141st and 3-141st Infantry Battalion headquarters, which fall under the 72nd IBCT headquarters, will perform various roles in Baghdad and throughout Iraq, such as security and guard force and detainee and convoy operations.
“We anticipate a number of mission changes due to theater requirements,” said Col. Mark N. Campsey, the 72nd IBCT’s commander. “So, we’re training on multiple tasks which we might do.”
For Campsey, the main concern is the ambiguity of the mission. However, he believes the 72nd IBCT’s training gives the brigade the flexibility, capability and the capacity to meet the demands of the situation in Iraq.
“Our Soldiers are uniquely qualified for what’s ahead due to the combination of their civilian and military skills,” he said.
Tennessee
More than 3,000 Guardsmen from the 278th HBCT of the Tennessee National Guard will train at Camp Shelby, Miss., for two months before heading to Iraq.
The deployment is expected to last for at least one year.
Vermont
About 1,500 Guardsmen from the 86th BCT are currently at Camp Atterbury, Ind., preparing for their deployment to Afghanistan, where they will replace the 48th BCT of the Georgia National Guard.
Army Brig. Gen. Jonathan Farnham, the Vermont Guard’s joint staff director, will head-up the newly created Afghan National Security Forces Development Assistance Bureau, which will oversee the training of Afghanistan’s security forces.
“It appears that my group will be doing some data collection, some analysis, receiving reports and doing some war-gaming of things to make suggestions on how to improve on how things are going given the resources that are available,” said Farnham in an interview with Vermont Public Radio in December.
He added that he will lead about 100 Soldiers, including some military members from Macedonia, which is one of Vermont’s State Partnership Program countries.
Farnham’s mission in Afghanistan is an offshoot of the Vermont Guard’s original mission of heading up Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix, which was responsible for training the Afghan National Army.
“I know that Task Force Phoenix, which we originally believed that Vermont would be manning and managing, is in the process of going away and being reorganized,” he said. “It appears to me to be a little leaner and a smaller footprint than it originally was.”
Louisiana
Family and friends gathered at 21 ceremonies throughout Louisiana this week to bid farewell to about 3,000 Louisiana Army National Guardsmen deploying to Iraq.
Soldiers of the 256th IBCT departed for their one-year tour that begins with training at Camp Shelby.
"Today, each and every one of you embarks to change the course of history,” said Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, addressing the Soldiers at one of the ceremonies. “You set out to fight for freedom in a part of the world that does not have the same liberties we do in America.”
Since the 256th deployed in 2004, many of the Guardsmen are leaving for the second and third time.
Maj. Gen. Bennett C. Landreneau, the adjutant general for Louisiana, praised each one for answering the nation’s call. “We need to remember that every Soldier sitting here today is a true patriot,” he said. “They are men and women who are willing to give up the comforts of home to answer our country’s call to duty.”
The brigade’s mission will be to provide security to U.S. convoys and bases across Iraq.
"The 256th has a distinguished history, and we've already been battle-tested," said Col. Jonathan T. Ball, commander of the 256th. "We will accomplish our mission and bring your Soldiers back to you."
“The men and women of this unit remind us all of what America stands for,” said Landreneau. “We wish them good luck, and Godspeed on their mission. Our prayers go with them, and we’ll be looking forward to the next ceremony where we welcome them home.”
(The public affairs offices of Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Florida, Louisiana, Texas and Wisconsin also contributed to this report.)
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