NYC Guard Troops to Deploy to Afghanistan

NEW YORK (02/21/2014)(readMedia)-- Members of the New York Army National Guard's 133rd Quartermaster Company will hold a family sendoff ceremony for the unit's mobilization and deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

WHO: Approx. 130 Citizen Soldiers and family members of the National Guard's 133rd Quartermaster Company

WHAT: Sendoff ceremony in Brooklyn for Operation Enduring Freedom

WHEN: 10 a.m., Saturday, February 22, 2014

WHERE: Fort Hamilton Theater, General Lee Avenue, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11252

Media Opportunity:

Interviews with Soldiers and family members preparing for a year-long separation as troops leave for training and deployment to Afghanistan.

For news media access to the Fort Hamilton military installation, media must contact Bruce Hill from the Fort Hamilton Public Affairs Office, 718-630-4780, report to the main entrance gate at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, February 22. Be prepared to show photo identification, vehicle registration and a copy of this media advisory for access onto Fort Hamilton. Media will link up with 1st Lt. Alicia Seda at the post theater for the unit ceremony.

Background:

Soldiers from the N.Y. Army National Guard continue their support of Operation Enduring Freedom this weekend with the mobilization and deployment of the 133rd Quartermaster Company.

Members of the 133rd Quartermaster Company, based at Fort Hamilton, deploy as part of the U.S. Central Command material recovery element (CMRE), facilitating the base closures and equipment consolidation throughout Afghanistan.

The Quartermaster Supply Company mission normally operates general support supply facilities to receive, store and issue general supplies for military forces.

The unit will complete its predeployment training at Joint Base McGuire, Dix, Lakehurst in New Jersey before leaving for operations in Afghanistan. The mobilization and deployment of the 133rd Quartermaster Company Soldiers is expected to last twelve months.

The unit last deployed in 2008 to Iraq. Soldiers mobilized in March 2008 and returned from Iraq in March 2009.