New York National Guard's 369th Sustainment Brigade commemorates WWI service in NYC Veterans Day Parade

NEW YORK (11/08/2018) More than 700 New York Army National Guard Soldiers assigned to the 369th Sustainment Brigade will mark the centennial of the end of World War I and step off in the New York City Veterans Day Parade on Sunday, November 11, 2018 just after 11 a.m.

The event marks the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, when the guns fell silent signifying the armistice that ended WWI.

The formation of troops will include members of the brigade headquarters and headquarters company, the 369th Special Troops Battalion, the 104th Military Police Battalion and the 101st Expeditionary Signal Battalion.

The 369th was originally organized as the 15th New York Infantry in the New York National Guard in 1916 in Harlem and was an African-American unit in the segregated Army of the time. The regiment fought with distinction under French command during WWI and two recipients of the unit received the Medal of Honor posthumously.

This year's parade commemorates the centennial of the end of World War I (1918-2018). The United States Army is this year's featured military branch. As always, the Marines, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard are also represented.

U.S. Army veteran of the war in Afghanistan and Medal of Honor Recipient Florent Groberg is the parade Grand Marshal.

The parade features over 300 marching elements and an estimated 20-30,000 participants, including veterans of all eras, military units, civic and youth groups, businesses, and top high school marching bands from across America.

The parade commences after an opening ceremony at 10 a.m. next to Madison Square Park (24th Street and Fifth Avenue). A wreath will be placed at 11 a.m. at the Eternal Light Monument to commemorate the centennial of the armistice that ended World War I.

The parade is organized by the United War Veterans Council of New York City.

The 369th Sustainment Brigade is headquartered at the historic 5th Avenue Armory in Harlem, New York City.

The brigade is commanded by Col. Steven Bousquet, a veteran of Afghanistan service for Operation Enduring Freedom.

The unit deployed troops to Kuwait in 2016-17 and provided Soldiers to train in Mali and Cameroon in 2014 to support United States Africa Command training exercises with African militaries. Soldiers of the 369th also played a key role in providing logistics support during the New York National Guard's response to Super Storm Sandy in 2012.