NY Army National Guard unit commanded by Col. Stephen Bouquet, a Lakeview resident,takes over in Kuwait

LATHAM, NY (11/02/2016)(readMedia)-- The New York Army National Guard logistics unit commanded by Col. Stephen Bousquet, a Lakeview resident, has assumed responsibility for logistics missions in Kuwait and the surrounding region.

The 250 Soldiers of the 369th Sustainment Brigade took over the job of providing supply and maintenance and other support to U.S. forces in the Middle East from the Nevada Army National Guard's 17th Sustainment Brigade in a ceremony on Oct. 26 at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait.

The flag, or colors of the unit, which is headquartered in New York City's historic Harlem Armory, were uncased during the ceremony, signifying the transfer of authority.

The 369th will oversee sustainment operations in more than six countries throughout the Middle East. Operations will include providing both supplies and services to units throughout the U.S. Central Command area of operations.

"This is a culmination of efforts for the 369th over many years of preparing through a tremendous train up; through accomplishing a warfighter this past February, to going through several different staff exercises," Bousquet said.

He added the brigade's mission in theater highlights the importance of the 369th SB for New York, taking on one of the largest missions that the state has ever had for a brigade headquarters.

"I think it's a wonderful opportunity for the Harlem Hell Fighters to showcase their abilities, the training, and the expertise that we have inherent to the New York Army National Guard," Bousquet, added.

Bousquet took command of the brigade, which is designed to command three to five logistics battalions supporting troops in combat, in early September as the unit moved to Fort Hood, Texas to train for a deployment to Kuwait.

According to Brig. Gen. Bruce E. Hackett, deputy commanding general of the 1st Theater Sustainment Command-Operational Command Post, "What sustainment brigades do on a day-to-day basis is vital to protect the U.S. national interests in the Middle East."

Bousquet enlisted in the Army Reserve as a medic in 1992 and in 1996 he was commissioned as a Medical Service Corps Officer. He served on Active Duty at Fort Drum, New York and Fort Meade, Maryland until 2000 when he joined the New York Army National Guard.

During his service in the New York Army National Guard Bousquet has served as a tank battalion medical platoon leader, tank battalion headquarters company commander, commander of a support company, executive officer and commander of a support battalion, the logistics officer of the 42nd Infantry Division and the Deputy commander of the 369th Sustainment Brigade.

He has deployed twice to Afghanistan and also deployed to New York City in 2001 following the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.

As a civilian Bousquet works for the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers as a Health Physicist where he leads an inter-disciplinenary technical team in the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program.

Bousquet and his wife Tracy, have 4 sons and one daughter; Matthew, Nathan, Alexander, Olivia and Chase.

The 369th was originally organized as the 15th New York Infantry in 1916 in Harlem and was an African-American unit in the segregated Army of the time.

In 1917, as the United States entered World War I, the unit was mustered into federal service and assigned to the 185th Infantry Brigade. In 1918 the 15th Infantry was renamed the 369th Infantry and assigned to France's 161st Division.

The Soldiers served in combat under French command and earned a regimental Croix de Guerre (Cross of War) and many individual awards for heroism while serving under fire for 191 days in 1918. The unit's historic nickname, "The Hell Fighters," was reportedly bestowed on them by their German opponents.