CONTACT: Mr. Eric Durr (518) 786-4581

FOR RELEASE: Thursday, Mar 27, 2008

ON SITE: LTC Paul Fanning (518)441-4106

WHO:

Nearly 1,400 activated members of the New York National Guard’s 27th Brigade Combat Team mobilized for service in Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan) as Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix VII, join with more than 1,500 family members, friends, military officia

WHAT:

Send off ceremony for the mobilized 27th Brigade Combat Team, New York Army National Guard for Operation Enduring Freedom

WHEN:

11 a.m. Thursday March 27, 2008

WHERE:

Seay Field, Fort Bragg, N.C.

New York Army National Guard Soldiers who have been training at Fort Bragg since January will hold a review before heading to Afghanistan to replace units from the South Carolina National Guard. A formal send off ceremony is being conducted for more than 1,300 members of the New York National Guard’s 27th Brigade Combat Team that consists of units that are spread across the state of New York, as well approximately 70 volunteers from other states. The 27th has been conducting post mobilization training at Fort Bragg, N.C. prior to overseas movement. Additional Information: Interested news organizations in New York can contact the NYS Division of Military and Naval Affairs Public Affairs Office at (518) 786-4581 to sign up for access. To reserve a space, news organizations must provide the names of their participating reporters No Later Than 5 p.m. on Friday March 21. Media members must provide photo identification and media badges in order to gain entrance to the base. Participating news media will be escorted onto Fort Bragg in the morning. Participating news media are responsible for their own travel to Fort Bragg and their accommodations. Media must provide names and contact information NLT 5 p.m. on Friday, March 21 to The Division of Military and Naval Affairs Public Affairs Office.