NC National Guard Deploys Chaplain Detachment

RALEIGH, NC (02/18/2011)(readMedia)-- The North Carolina National Guard's 136th Chaplain Detachment mobilized today from the North Carolina National Guard's Joint Forces Headquarters here.

The departure ceremony for the unit, which consists of Army Maj. Anthony Cook and Army Staff Sgt. Leverne Lindsey, was attended by family members, such as wives Army Capt. Regina Cook and Beth Lindsey, respectively. Also in attendance were various leaders such as N.C. representatives Grier Martin, Tom Murry, and Jennifer Weiss; Army Maj. Gen. Gregory A. Lusk, Adjutant General of North Carolina National Guard: and Reuben F. Young, Secretary, N.C. Department of Crime Control and Public Safety.

Betty Jo Shepherd read a letter on behalf of U.S. Senator Richard Burr.

"Thank you for your commitment to America," she read. "I look forward to your safe return."

"The 136th Chaplain Detachment is the smallest unit in the North Carolina National Guard," said Lusk, "but the responsibilities they will shoulder and the impact they will have on the mission will be far from small as they go forward to provide religious and spiritual support for the thousands of professional s that are assigned to Camp Arifjan, Kuwait."

The 136th CD is attached to the 139th Regimental Arms (North Carolina National Guard Military Academy) located at Fort Bragg, N.C. The CD provides robust religious support to the faculty, staff and students during weekend training operations.

"They are mobilizing in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, and will serve primarily in the crossroads of Kuwait while working for the Command Chaplain of Army Central Command," said Lusk. "Both of our honorees exemplify their commitment to selfless service when realizing that they have deployed before in support of overseas contingencies."

During their deployment, the two Soldiers, assigned to U.S. forces in Kuwait, will oversee chapel facilities and will be responsible for all religious support activates. This could include providing religious support to all tenant units, units without organic Unit Ministry Teams (UMTs), and transient servicemembers, civilians, contractors, and other personnel as needed. While the unit will not replace UMTs, they will still be responsible for planning for and providing operational, specialized religious support and spiritual reconstitution/recollection activities in rest, stand down, and convalescent/recovery areas.

This will be the first deployment for the unit, which was established in 2006. However, this will be the second deployment for each of the two Soldiers; Cook deployed with the 730th Quartermaster Battalion to Kuwait in 2006, and Lindsey deployed with the 105th Engineer Battalion in 2004 to Iraq.

For media queries, please contact the North Carolina National Guard Public Affairs Office via email at pao@ng.army.mil or by phone at (919) 664-6242. For more NCNG news, visit our website: www.nc.ngb.army.mil/, follow the NCNG PAO on Twitter at http://twitter.com/NCNationalGuard, or fan us at http://www.facebook.com/NCNationalGuard.