Wisconsin National Guard still active overseas

January 26, 2010 - The last group of Wisconsin Army National Guard Soldiers that deployed to Iraq with the 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team is now back in Wisconsin and demobilizing at Fort McCoy. Nearly 100 other Soldiers and Airmen also recently returned from the Central Command theater of operations, including the Madison-based 115th Security Forces Squadron, Wisconsin Air National Guard, and 18 Soldiers from Company B, 32nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion. ( http://dma.wi.gov/dma/news/2010news/10018.asp)

However, the Wisconsin National Guard continues to play an active role in the global war on terror and other overseas operations, with hundreds of Soldiers and Airmen still deployed and many more preparing to deploy.

The Tomah-based Headquarters element of the 732nd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion remains at Camp Adder in southern Iraq, managing the loading and delivery of supplies for that region as well as overseeing the processing of equipment and materiel for return to the United States as part of the drawdown of U.S. forces there. The 732nd is expected to return to Wisconsin sometime in May.

A 16-man team of Wisconsin Army National Guard Soldiers, mostly from the Milwaukee-based 157th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, continues its year-long mission in Afghanistan as an embedded training team, working closely with the Afghan National Police on improving security there. The ETT is expected back in Wisconsin sometime in March.

Five Wisconsin Army National Guard Soldiers are deployed to Joint Task Force-Guantanamo in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Of those, three are expected to return to Wisconsin in March.

In March, nearly 400 members of the 724th Engineer Battalion will be ordered to active duty for a deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The affected Soldiers are part of the Headquarters Company in Chippewa Falls, Company A (Forward Support) in Hayward, the 273rd Engineer Company (Sapper) in Medford and 950th Engineer Company (Clearance) in Spooner and Superior.

In June the Madison-based 1st Battalion, 147th Aviation Regiment will mobilize for a year-long tour of duty in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Since Sept. 11, 2001, every unit in the Wisconsin National Guard has deployed Soldiers and Airmen in support of the global war on terrorism.