MILWAUKEE, Wisc. –
Despite inclement winter weather, more than 400 Wisconsin Army National Guardsmen received a formal send-off Nov. 30, before departing for a year-long mobilization to the Middle East.
Soldiers assigned to the 1st Battalion, 121st Field Artillery Regiment and 108th Forward Support Company will provide High Mobility Artillery Rocket System capabilities within the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility while working alongside their strategic partners in the region.
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, commander in chief of the Wisconsin National Guard, relayed his appreciation for the sacrifice that National Guard service entails.
“As members of the Guard, you are part of the very fabric of the state; serving as teachers and technicians, police officers, college students, farmers, tradesmen, and professionals from every corner of Wisconsin. Yet each of you sets aside those roles when your state and nation need you,” Evers said. “That tradition of service is one of Wisconsin’s greatest strengths, and today, it’s embodied by the Soldiers of the 121st.”
He further extended his appreciation to the families and loved ones of the deploying Soldiers, as well as their civilian employers.
“Please know that your sacrifice and contributions do not go unnoticed,” Evers stated. “Your flexibility, patience and encouragement make it possible for Wisconsin to maintain a strong and ready National Guard.”
Maj. Gen. Matthew Strub, Wisconsin’s adjutant general, led a leadership team that would continue to two additional locations holding send-off ceremonies for the remaining elements within the regiment.
“Your mission is clear and critical. It's about strengthening how we work with the joint forces and our regional partners through theater security cooperation,” said Strub. “You'll be part of a broader effort to promote stability, deter aggression, and reinforce trust in a region where trust is hard earned and deeply valued.”
Having personally experienced multiple deployments, Strub also relayed the significance of teamwork and the bond between fellow Soldiers.
“You're not deploying in isolation, you're deploying as part of a team – a battalion with a bond stronger than steel,” said Strub. “You bring your individual talents and skills together and have assembled into one united team. You’ve trained together and have learned to rely on the Soldiers to your left and to your right. That trust, that bond, is what makes this unit special. It's what will carry you through the challenges ahead.”
Col. Matthew Mangeson, commander of the 1-121st Field Artillery will lead the deploying Soldiers throughout their year-long mobilization.
As the final speaker, Mangeson focused on the loved ones they would be leaving behind.
“Thank you for your strength, your patience and your faith in this organization,” he said. “You are part of this mission, no less than those who wear the uniform.”
Mangeson concluded by addressing his Soldiers directly.
“We will succeed with honor and integrity,” he said. “We will come home as better individuals and a stronger unit than the one that stands here today, and will represent with distinction the 121st Field Artillery Regiment, the 157th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, the Wisconsin Army National Guard and the great state of Wisconsin.”