One Army Team Responds to Extension of Army National Guard Brigade
Jan 12, 2007
The Army National Guard -- with the full support of the Department of the Army at the Pentagon -- is rapidly organizing support for Soldiers' families and employers of the 1st Brigade, 34th Infantry Division, Minnesota Army National Guard, following the unit's recently deployment extension in Iraq. Army National Guard Soldiers in the unit from 28 states are affected by the extension.
The unit's extension was announced Jan. 11 by the Department of Defense to meet new security-mission requirements in Iraq. The unit will be extended for up to 125 days and is to return not later than August 2007.
The 1st Brigade, 34th Infantry Division, remains in Iraq as part of the force required to help the Iraqis clear and secure neighborhoods and protect the local population. The brigade is composed of Army National Guard units from 28 states. Those states include: Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
Army officials point out these Citizen-Soldiers and this unit undoubtedly have earned the respect and admiration of their families, their employers, their communities and now with the attention this extension brings, the nation. They certainly have always had the Army's respect for their combat duty.
"The Army is extremely proud of the Soldiers of the 1st Brigade, 34th Infantry Division, and is deeply appreciative of the sacrifices they and their loved ones have made in answering this Nation's 'Call To Duty,'" said Gen. Richard Cody, vice chief of staff of the Army. We will ensure, as one Army team, that these Soldiers, their families, employers and their communities have the support and resources they need during this challenging time."
Support to the families of these Soldiers comes first, Army officials affirmed recently. Representatives from the Army National Guard and Army headquarters at the Pentagon are to meet immediately with 34th Division and Minnesota state leaders to determine specific support families may need. A combined support effort then will be put together to address the impact this extension will have on the brigade.
The success of the National Guard rests on a three-legged stool -- the Soldier, family and employer," said Lt. Gen. H. Steven Blum, Chief, National Guard Bureau. "Our senior leadership is keenly focused on providing the proper support to each of these three legs. In this time of extraordinary needs of our 1st Brigade, 34th Infantry family, we pledge ourselves to this aggressive effort. It is simply the right thing to do."
Guard officials say they are no stranger to the challenge of working across state boundaries. The National Guard has many imaginative means of working the tough issue of caring for families in every state and territory. There is a National Guard Family Program in every one of these states along with Family Assistance Centers that provide help for families of deployed members. In addition, the National Guard Family program office has established an on-line community to further assist those in need, at: http://www.guardfamily.org .
Because our national security is dependent upon a strong and viable National Guard, we are also indebted to the nation's employers with whom we share the greatest asset - their employees and our National Guardsmen, Army officials said. In each state the National Guard is working side by side with these employers to do what is right for each other, the community, and America. The Army stands with them every step of the way, military planners affirmed.
Since Sept. 11, 2001, the Army National Guard and the Army Reserve went from being the nation's strategic reserve to the on-call operational reserve -- and have reacted brilliantly and with great resilience, Army officials said. The 1st Brigade, 34th Division, is just another example of their toughness and commitment.
"Our Army remains strong, because of the dedication, professionalism and selfless service of citizen-Soldiers like those in the 1-34 Division," Cody said. "We should all be extremely proud of their performance; they are getting the mission done for our Army and this Nation."
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For more information, please contact Paul Boyce, U.S. Army Public Affairs, at phone: (703) 697-2564.
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