Alabama deploys National Guard Soldiers to Afghanistan

Release #: 2014040101

MONTGOMERY, AL (04/02/2014)(readMedia)-- The Alabama Army National Guard's 877th Engineer Battalion and 1305th Survey and Design Team, out of Haleyville, have been called to active duty in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

The Forward Support Company of the 877th will have a departure ceremony in Northport at the Northport Church of Christ, 2700 44th Ave., at 10 a.m., Saturday, April 5, 2014.

The Headquarters and Headquarters Company of the 877th and the 1305th Survey and Design Team will have a departure ceremony in Haleyville at the Haleyville Middle School Gymnasium, 2014 20th Ave., at 3 p.m., Saturday, April 5, 2014.

The 877th and 1305th together will deploy approximately 180 Alabama National Guard Soldiers to Afghanistan in Support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

The 877th and 1305th will conduct materiel retrograde operations in support of the United States Central Command Materiel Retrograde Element (CMRE) mission in Afghanistan.

The 877th and 1305th will continue to undergo extensive training at a mobilization station before deploying overseas.

State and local officials, as well as senior Alabama National Guardsmen, will attend the ceremony to send off the Soldiers of the 877th and 1305th. The general public is invited and encouraged to attend to show their support for the Soldiers and their families.

The Alabama National Guard has called more than 21,000 personnel to active duty since 9/11 and remains a top contributor among the nation's National Guard organizations.

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POC Northport: SSG Lisa Harless, (205) 330-8115

POC Haleyville: MAJ Alexander Shaw, (205) 764-6771