CONTACT: Eric Durr, 518-786-4581, eric.durr@us.army.mil

FOR RELEASE: Sunday, Jun 10, 2012

UTICA, NY (06/13/2012)(readMedia)-- More than 150 family members and friends of Utica-based New York Army National Guard Soldiers deployed in Afghanistan gathered for a picnic on Sunday, June 10, at the Utica Zoo. The picnic was sponsored by the American Red Cross; the Friends of the Utica Armory, a support group; and the Family Readiness Group of Headquarters and Headquarters Company of the 2nd Battalion 108th Infantry. The Soldiers are currently deployed to Afghanistan conducting security missions there. Volunteers from the Utica community joined together to serve the family members and run the picnic. The goal of the event, said Family Readiness Group coordinator Tanya Brountas was to bring the families together for a fun time close to the half-way point of their Soldiers deployments. The community volunteers played a major role in ensuring the success of the event, Brountas said. The battalion, part of the 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, mobilized in January and deployed to Afghansitan in April after training at Camp Shelby, Mississippi.