450 New York Army National Guard Soldiers Deploy from Stewart Air Guard Base on Sunday, Aug. 19

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FORT DRUM--Soldiers of the 101st Signal Battalion train to use state-of-the-art Satellite Transportable Terminals that are a component of the WIN-T--Warfighter Information Network- Tactical .

STEWART AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, NEWBURGH NY (08/17/2012)(readMedia)-- More than 450 New York Army National Guard Soldiers of the 101st Expeditionary Signal Battalion- based in Yonkers, Orangeburg and Peekskill-- will say goodbye to their families and depart for post-mobilization training at Fort Bliss, Texas at Stewart Air National Guard Base here on Sunday, August 19. The Soldiers are schedule to deploy to Afghanistan.

There are currently 1,800 membersof the New York Army National Guard deployed in Afghanistan and Kuwait or training to deploy overseas.

WHO: 450 Soldiers of the 101st Expeditionary Signal Battalion, based in Yonkers, Orangeburg, and Peekskill, along with their families and key leaders of the New York Army National Guard.

WHAT: A farewell ceremony in which the Soldiers will be addressed by Major General ( two-star) Patrick Murphy, the Adjutant General of New York, Brigadier General (one-star) Michael Swezey, commander of the 53rd Troop Command, and Ms. Mary Kavaney Assistant Deputy Secretary for Public Safety, representing Gov. Andrew Cuomo. At the conclusion of the ceremony the Soldiers will move to a hangar at Stewart ANGB to wait for their transportation. The ceremony will last approximately 45 minutes.

WHEN: 10 a.m. on Sunday, August 19, 2012. Members of the media must be at the Stewart Air National Guard Base front gate No Later Than 0850 in order to gain access to this secure military facility.

WHERE: Stewart Air National Guard Base, Maguire Way, Newburgh, NY.

For access to this secure military facility members of the press MUST contact New York Air National Guard Tech Sgt. Michael O'Halloran by e-mailing 105aw.publicaffairs@ang.af.mil No Later Than 8:30 a.m. on August 19 and providing him with information on names of reporters, photographers and videographers, the type of vehicle and the vehicle license plate.

Coverage opportunities:

Members of the press will have a brief opportunity to speak with family members and Soldiers before they fall into formation before the ceremony. Leaders of the New York Army National Guard will be available for interviews. Video and still imagery opportunities will include the Soldiers in formation and marching away from the ceremony to the hangar to await charter aircraft.

101st Expeditionary Signal Battalion

The 101st Expeditionary Signal Battalion will deploy to Afghanistan in the fall to provide communications support to military units across that country using the state-of-the-art Warfighter Information Network-Tactical system that employs satellite technology to provide voice and data connections to military units.

The battalion, commanded by Col. Greg Dreisbach, has been preparing for deployment for the past two years. The Soldiers just completed pre-mobilization training at Fort Drum where they trained on basic warrior skills like tactical maneuver, land-navigation, and grenade throwing.

The battalion traces its history back to 1879 when a signal service was created as part of the New York National Guard's 11th Brigade, which was based in Brooklyn. In 1886 a Signal Corps unit of 19 Soldiers was formed as part of the New York National Guard's 1st Brigade.

The New York National Guard signal Soldiers saw their first service on state duty in August 1892 during a railroad strike in Buffalo when the Signal Corps detachments set up telegraph lines and used flags and oil lanterns so Guard units could communication with each other. Volunteers from the New York National Guard Signal Corps served in the Spanish American War, although the unit was not called up.

In 1916 the New York National Guard's 1st Battalion Signal Corps served at the Mexican border, and in 1917 the 102nd Field Signal Battalion deployed to France with the 27th Division.

In January 1941 the 101st Signal Battalion was mobilized for training. In June 1944 the battalion participated in the invasion of Saipan and then served in the Philippines and on Okinawa.

The 101st Signal Battalion was activated for the Korean War in 1950 and was the only National Guard signal corps unit to serve in Korea and received a Meritorious Unit Commendation and a Republic of the Korea Presidential Unit Citation. Along with providing communications service, 101st Signal Battalion Photographers took many of the photographs that were printed in the press back in the United States.

During the Berlin Crisis of 1961/ 62 the 101st Signal Battalion was stationed at Fort Devens, Massachusetts. In 1970 the battalion was mobilized when federal postal workers went on strike and in 1979 the battalion served on state active duty when prison guards went on strike.

The 101st Signal Battalion was inactivated in 1994 but came back onto the roster of New York Army National Guard units in 2003 as the 101st Expeditionary Signal Battalion.

Since then the unit has participated in exercise in Germany, Romania, Bosnia and Moldova as well as in Angola. During the state's response to tropical storms Lee and Irene in 2011 the Soldiers provided assistance to citizens of the state.

While the unit as not deployed to combat since it's reactivation in 2004 many of its Soldiers have served in Afghanistan and Iraq.