Wisconsin Guard members alerted for possible federal overseas mission

Wisconsin National Guard Public Affairs

Approximately 160 Wisconsin National Guard Soldiers are on alert for possible mobilization to Kosovo in support of NATO-led international peace keeping operations, also known as KFOR. The Soldiers are mostly from the Milwaukee-based Headquarters Company, 157th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade (MEB) and the Oconomowoc-based 32nd Military Police (MP) Company, and will potentially be mobilized for federal active duty in 2012.

The alert notification, which the Soldiers received Saturday (March 5), directs the units and Soldiers to begin preparing for possible mobilization. The unit has not been ordered to active duty.

The 32nd MP Company most recently deployed to Iraq from 2009-10 with the 32nd Infantry Brigade. The 157th MEB, a new brigade, has never deployed; however, components of the 57th Field Artillery Brigade, which transformed into the 157th MEB in 2007, have deployed. Members of the 57th Brigade headquarters company deployed to Afghanistan as an embedded training team in 2006.

Since Sept. 11, 2001 every unit in the Wisconsin Guard has deployed forces in support of the global war on terrorism, many more than once. While there are currently about 700 Guard members on active duty, the remaining more than 9,000 are available in the event of state emergencies or to support homeland defense or security missions.