A Livingston County-based unit of the Michigan Army National Guard (MIARNG) that is deployed overseas was among those receiving a call from Governor Gretchen Whitmer to wish them a Happy Thanksgiving.
Whitmer spoke to Soldiers of the 156th Expeditionary Signal Battalion of the MIARNG, based in Howell, among those currently deployed to Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria and UAE in support of U.S. Central Command.
“These brave Soldiers are tackling a wide range of challenges in each of their respective missions, bringing their expertise in operations, logistics, engineering, construction, communications and security to get the job done,” stated a press release from the governor’s office.
Other units receiving a call from Whitmer;
- 1436th Engineer Company of the MIARNG (Montague)
- 125th Infantry Regiment of the MIARNG (Saginaw)
“Michiganders who serve in uniform put their lives on the line to keep us safe,” said Whitmer. “As we celebrate Thanksgiving, we must recognize the immense sacrifices they make so we can live freely. Right now, many active duty service members are apart from their families, working hard, oceans away from Michigan. I hope we all take some time to honor our service members and their families this Thanksgiving and pray for their safe return home.”
“Today, there are more than 1,000 members of the MING serving away from their homes and families,” said U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Paul D. Rogers, adjutant general and director of the Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. “Whether supporting the efforts at the Southwest Border or assisting humanitarian efforts for displaced persons in the Middle East, their selflessness and loyalty to their mission during these challenging times should be honored. We look forward to welcoming each unit and individual home safely to their families.”
Deployed back in April, this is the first deployment for the 156th ESB which was established six years ago. Known by their slogan, ‘Nothing but Net’, the Soldiers are anticipated to be deployed for up to a year.
U.S. Army Lt. Col. Samuel P. LaBara, commander of the 156th ESB. said the unit is serving as “the backbone transmission for all network requirements” that enables uninterrupted mission command in CENTCOM, “providing voice and data communications for units and operations within the region and contingency communications support.”
