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Connecticut Convention Center was filled with Connecticut National Guardsmen and their families, as they were about to embark on deployment to Afghanistan and Iraq. The Connecticut Guard was sending 700 brave men and women to support the troops in both areas. Governor Rell and other politicians were given a chance to speak to the troops and their families. The 102nd Infantry is headquartered in New Haven with units located in Norwalk, Manchester, New Britain, Branford and Southington. The federal mission of the 102nd, as part of 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) Mountain (MTN), is to deploy worldwide in support of Combatant Commander’s operational requirements, and conduct full-spectrum counter-insurgency operations. While in Afghanistan, the 102nd will partner with the Afghan security forces to assist, train and mentor the Afghan Army, Police, and Border Police forces in order to strengthen, stabilize and legitimize the Government of Afghanistan. The state peacetime mission is to provide soldiers, equipped, organized and trained in the protection of life, property and the preservation of peace, order and public safety in military support to civil authorities for disaster response, humanitarian relief, civil disturbance, and Homeland Defense. This is the second deployment for the Battalion. The Infantry previously served in Afghanistan in 2006. Company A was mobilized in support of Operation Noble Eagle in 2003 and Company C deployed in support Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2004. The 102nd is commanded by Lt. Col. Francis Evon of Newington. The 250th Engineer Company is located in New London. During peacetime the unit is tasked with bridge building missions. Their mission in Iraq will be to provide bridging support for theater mobility, and to ensure rapid emplacement of bridging assets in the event that routes in their area of operations become impassable. The Engineers were mobilized in 2002 and spent six months at Fort Eustis, Virginia. The 250th Engineer Company is commanded by Capt. Charles Taylor of Hamden. “This is the largest single deployment of Connecticut Army National Guardsmen since the Korean War and will bring our total number of deployed Soldiers and Airmen to 1200,” said Martin. “Our focus must now rapidly shift from preparing these Soldiers for deployment to supporting the families and loved ones they leave behind.” The Connecticut National Guard currently has nearly 500 Soldiers and Airmen mobilized and deployed to Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan in support of the Global War on Terror. The units will depart next week for their mobilization stations at Camp Atterbury, Indiana and Fort McCoy in Wisconsin before heading overseas.

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