Wisconsin National Guard
OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – More than 600 Wisconsin National Guard soldiers are being deployed for active duty, and being sent off with a private ceremony alongside family and friends in Oshkosh.
The send-off ceremony is for the soldiers assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry Regiment and Gulf Company, 132nd Brigade Support Battalion.
After training, the soldiers will deploy to the U.S. Central Command area of operations in Kuwait and Iraq, where they will work with NATO partners to promote regional security and stability in the region.
Along with thousands of friends and families, Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers addressed the crowd, thanking them for their years of hard work and training, and handing off the flag of Wisconsin to the unit’s leader.
“I know this unit will fly [it] proudly while they’re down range,” said Major General Matthew Strub.
Major General Strub, Wisconsin’s adjutant general, addressed the audience, recognizing the mixed emotions that everyone in the room was likely experiencing.
“This moment is a powerful reminder of what it means to serve something greater than ourselves. To the men and women of the 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry Regiment, you represent the best of who we are. Citizen soldiers, part of a long and distinguished lineage of the Wisconsin National Guard.”
“You’re not deploying in isolation, you’re deploying as a part of a team. A battalion with a hard, strong bond, that bond of steel,” Strub said to the soldiers. “We all salute you and your character in recognition that you, each of you individually, have chosen to answer that higher calling at a time when service is so needed.”
Strub also addressed the families and loved ones in the crowd.
“You carry the weight of worry and pride for your soldiers. You hold the home together, you lift our spirits with a phone call, letter, or prayer. And whether your soldier comes home tired or burdened, it is your love that brings them back to center. Let me assure you, your guard family stands with you. You’re not alone on this journey.”
Guardsman Alfonso Cordova is one of the 600 men and women who will be deploying.
“It’s an honor and privilege, I never thought I’d be able to do something like this as a little kid but the opportunity to serve my state and serve the nation alongside these great people, it’s absolutely fantastic,” he said.
Cordova also recognized the importance of having support from loved ones throughout this journey.
“It really means the world with this tough training, you can get a little down in the dumps but with good family, good friends, good relationships really helps pick you up, and helps keep the mind on what this is all about.”
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