Soldiers assigned to the New York National Guard have completed their two-month train up at Fort Bliss and are now deploying to Djibouti to begin a ten-month East Africa deployment.
Known as Task Force Wolfhound, stationed in New York City, the 1st Battalion of the 69th Infantry will deploy nearly one thousand soldiers for the current deployment.
Connecting Vets previously reported on the New Jersey National Guard deploying for the same deployment several years ago. In 2019, the New Jersey National Guard engaged in a fierce firefight with al-Shabab militants at Baledogle military airfield in Somalia that involved vehicular IEDs and a ground assault as the terrorists tried to take out the drones stationed at the base. The National Guard members repelled the attack and were subsequently awarded their Combat Infantry Badges for the action.
Meanwhile, their sister unit stationed in Djibouti was caught in a flash flood while they were driving back to their base from a shooting range. One vehicle was trapped in the surging water which ended up washing several soldiers downstream. By some miracle, all of them managed to clamor ashore and survive.
Since the 2019 deployment from the New Jersey National Guard, the East Africa mission has been covered down by the Maryland, Virginia, and Kentucky National Guard over the last several years.
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An Army press release states of the most recent deployment, "An additional 130 New York Soldiers assigned to Alpha Company of the 2nd Battalion, 108th Infantry, mobilizes Sept. 10 for duty in East Africa. The need for these Soldiers was identified later, so they will be deploying after the task force."
While the press release does not specifically state where these soldiers will be deployed, it is likely that at least some of them will be sent to Baledogle military airfield in Somalia as their predecessors were.
Then President Donald Trump ordered all American soldiers withdrawn from Somalia back in 2020, but these orders have since been rescinded, with 500 more troops ordered back into the country amid rising al-Shabab attacks.
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Reach Jack Murphy: jack@connectingvets.com or @JackMurphyRGR.
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