Headquarters unit to support European operations in 2022

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BANGOR, MAINE (02/02/2022) (readMedia)-- The 120th Regional Support Group, one of two brigade-level headquarters units in Maine, will deploy to Poland in spring of 2022. The unit consists of approximately 80 soldiers from across Maine and will be deployed for approximately one year.

As a brigade headquarters, the unit will conduct base support operations for numerous additional units transiting through the European theater.

"Maine soldiers continue to support U.S. strategic interests around the world alongside our active duty counterparts," said Brig. Gen. Dean Preston, land component commander. "The 120th will be adding an additional chapter to the Maine Army National Guard's support to America's allies through U.S. European Command's Operation Atlantic Resolve."

Atlantic Resolve is a critical component of the Department of Defense's European Deterrence Initiative. Its mission is to build readiness, increase interoperability and enhance bonds between ally and partner militaries with multi-national training events in Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Romania. U.S. based units have been supporting Atlantic Resolve in rotations since 2014.

Maine's 286th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, a logistics command element assigned under the 120th while in garrison, returned from a tour supporting Atlantic Resolve in February 2020.

"The 120th is well poised to conduct this unique mission," said Lt. Col. Amy Cartmell, the deputy commander of the 120th. "Not only does our garrison mission lend itself to staff experience and day-to-day logistics, but our team also incorporates the unique skill sets derived from citizen-soldiers. I feel strongly that this is our greatest strength. We bring a broad range of civilian talents and backgrounds to bear on this mission, including managers and supply distribution professionals, educators, engineers, and more."

"Brigade morale is high," said Col. James Young, commander of the 120th. "We have assembled a phenomenal team, and we are proud to be asked to play a critical role in multi-national training and readiness support."

"Our team has been training hard," Cartmell continued. "We have gleaned a wealth of knowledge from the experiences of previously assigned units – to include our own, the 286th – combined with staff analysis of the mission requirements. We strive to be students of current events in Poland and other partner nations and look forward to learning more about and interacting with their cultures and communities."

"As always, we are indebted to our families and employers for the tremendous support and flexibility that they give us," said Maj. Gen. Douglas Farnham, Maine's adjutant general. "National Guard service is only possible because of them, and we have only asked more of them these past two years. With the domestic support for the COVID response, two waves of guardsmen to Washington during the inauguration, four major unit mobilizations and countless smaller ones, Maine military families and employers have been through a lot. Their support is critical in everything that we do."

The 120th traces its lineage back to June of 1880 and served in several campaigns from both World Wars. The unit most recently deployed to Afghanistan from 2017-2018.

Additional information about Atlantic Resolve can be found at: https://www.eucom.mil/topic/operation-atlantic-resolve

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190629-A-AS262-1006:

Soldiers from the 286th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, then stationed in Powidz, Poland, and Polish military cadets, from the Cadets Military University of Land Forces of Wroclaw, salute the U.S. and Polish Flags during the opening ceremony of the Liga Futbolu Amerykanskiego (LFA) title game in Wroclaw, Poland, June 29, 2019. The 286th is the last Maine National Guard unit to deploy in support of Atlantic Resolve, prior to the 120th Regional Support Group's deployment sourcing. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Kyle Larsen, 5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)

190629-A-AS262-1001:

Maine soldiers from the 286th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, stationed in Powidz, Poland, pose with a Polish child in front of a static display during the opening ceremony of the Liga Futbolu Amerykanskiego (LFA) title game in Wroclaw, Poland, June 29, 2019. The 286th is the last Maine National Guard unit to deploy in support of Atlantic Resolve, prior to the 120th Regional Support Group's deployment sourcing. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Kyle Larsen, 5th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment)