Afghanistan: 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team mission changes

ARLINGTON, Va. - The Department of Defense on Wednesday announced changes to the mission of the 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team due to reduced requirements in Afghanistan.

The 37th IBCT, 38th Infantry Division – consisting primarily of Army National Guard units from Ohio and Michigan – began mobilizing in early October 2011, for deployment to Afghanistan.

All of the re-missioned 37th Soldiers will be serving in various security force assignments guarding U.S. forces and facilities in both Afghanistan and Bahrain.

The National Guard has mobilized more than 700,000 Soldiers and Airmen in support of overseas contingency operations and domestic operations since Sept. 11, 2001, some more than once.

There are 26,000 National Guard soldiers currently mobilized and deployed supporting the Operation New Dawn and/or Operation Enduring Freedom missions.

The Department of Defense understands that members of the National Guard make major commitments when they are mobilized, often leaving jobs and school, terminating leases, and moving families in advance of deployment.

Employers, schools and families must make plans months in advance for deployments that routinely last longer than a year. Whenever possible, we will find suitable alternate missions for mobilized units affected by changing requirements.

DoD will continue to announce major unit deployments and mission changes as they are identified, and those units are alerted.