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 Arkansas Engineer Battalion on the verge of Iraq mission; Deployment ceremony marks end of training By Staff Sgt. Chris Durney
                875th Engineer Battalion Public Affairs Office
 FORT McCOY, Wis. - Five hundred of the finest Soldiers from Arkansas, Indiana and Vermont stand ready to take on their mission in Iraq. On Saturday, September 23, the 875th Engineer Battalion stood in formation on the Fort McCoy, Wis., parade field and belted out the unit motto, “ready and willing,” during a deployment ceremony marking the end of their training. In the coming days, the Arkansas Army National Guard battalion will depart for a year-long deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The battalion departed for Fort McCoy July 22, where they underwent a rigorous training regiment to prepare them for their mission to clear one of the most dangerous Iraqi roadways of explosives. Arrayed on the parade field by company, the Soldiers listened to Lt. Col. Patricia Anslow, commander of the 875th, tell them how proud she was of their accomplishment. “In just two months citizen Soldiers from three different states have been transformed into a cohesive team,” said Anslow. “I’m proud to stand here with you today, ready and willing to make our families proud.” Maj. Gen. Michael Dubie, the adjutant general of Vermont, addressed the unit, praising their willingness to serve their country. “Not in recent memory have the American people been more supportive of the United States military in their efforts to defend freedom,” said Dubie. “Know that you are heroes in every sense of the word.” Col. Richard Ligon, commander of the Indiana Army National Guard’s 81st Troop Command also praised the troops, speaking for the people of Indiana. “We are proud of our Indiana Soldiers, and we are proud of the 875th. We know that you will do great things and come home safe and sound.” Lt. Col. James Treece, 87th Troop Command, Arkansas Army National Guard spoke in place of Maj. Gen. Ronald S. Chastain, the adjutant general of Arkansas who could not make the ceremony due to a severe weather flight cancellation. “Most Americans say that they are willing to defend the United States, “ he said, “but few take the next step of swearing to it under oath, joining military service and training to do a specific job in an organized unit. “You have made this choice. As a citizen of the United States and a fellow Soldier, I am proud of you,” said Treece. The 875th is headquartered in Jonesboro, Ark., with units in Paragould, Marked Tree and Harrison. Soldiers from Vermont and Indiana have joined the 875th during this mobilization as members of the Vermont Army National Guard’s 131st Engineer Company. In total, over 1700 Soldiers and Airmen with the Arkansas National Guard are currently mobilized for overseas missions, with over 200 on the southwest border of the US in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. Over 10,000 Soldiers and Airmen strong, the Arkansas Guard has supported the mobilization of over 8,000 troops since Sept. 11, 2001. Many of the Guardsmen accounted for in this number have served on two or more mobilizations in support of the global war on terror.
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