Over 300 Vermont National Guard Soldiers will return home from deployed locations over the course of several days from Dec. 1-10.
The 172nd Law Enforcement Detachment deployed in January 2021 to support US Europe Command, and the 3rd Battalion, 172nd Infantry (Mountain), departed in February to US Central Command.
"I am incredibly proud of these Vermonters and their families for the work they all put in to accomplish their missions over the last 10 months," said Vermont Governor Phil Scott. "I know it has not been easy, both for members who have been away and for their families who have had to navigate this difficult time without their partner, parent or child. Their willingness to serve is an example of what makes Vermont great, and I am very happy to finally say, 'welcome home.''
While deployed, the 172nd LED operated as the primary law enforcement element on Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base in Romania.
Meanwhile, units of 3-172 IN (MTN) deployed to multiple locations across the central command theater of operations. The unit participated in a variety of missions, including assisting with security support at the Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul during the August evacuations as well as providing humanitarian and logistical support to vulnerable Afghans as they transited out of the region.
"The National Guard has three primary missions: federal deployments, state emergency support and the State Partnership Program," said Brig. Gen. James Pabis, Vermont assistant adjutant general - army. "This has been a busy year for us in all three areas with COVID-19 support to the state, continued partnership with North Macedonia and Senegal as well as now welcoming Austria to our Program. The fact that these units deployed with such success in the midst of all of these challenges is a testament to their leadership and training. We're very proud of all they have accomplished and very pleased to welcome them all home again."
The two units were the first of several to deploy throughout the first half of 2021, with a total of over 950 Vermonters deploying to various locations across Europe, Africa and Southwest Asia in support of their federal missions. These returns make the first of many from now through the first months of 2022.
Date Taken: | 11.30.2021 |
Date Posted: | 11.30.2021 15:30 |
Story ID: | 410185 |
Location: | JERICHO, VERMONT, US |
Web Views: | 505 |
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