National Guard's "Harlem HellfIghters" farewell ceremony on Sunday, Sept. 18 marks Middle East deployment

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Spc. Toni Simpson, fires her M249 squad automatic weapon at Fort Indiantown Gap in July while training for the brigade's deployment to Kuwait.

CORTLANDT MANOR, NEW YORK (09/17/2022) (readMedia)-- Two hundred and fifty New York Army National Guard Soldiers assigned to New York City's 369th Sustainment Brigade, based at the historic Harlem Armory, will say goodbye to their families during a deployment ceremony on Sunday, Sept. 18 at Camp Smith Training Center near Peekskill.

The brigade, known as the "Harlem Hellfighters" for the unit's service in World War I, will be deploying to Kuwait to provide logistics support Army forces in the Middle East.

Members of the press are invited to cover the ceremony.

WHO: 250 New York National Guard Soldiers and their family members, Col. Seth Morgulas, the brigade commander, and Major General Michel Natali, the assistant adjutant general, Army, of the New York National Guard.

WHAT: A formal deployment ceremony for the Soldiers and families of the 369th Sustainment Brigade held at the Parade Field at Camp Smith Training Site. Following the ceremony, the Soldiers will board buses and travel to Stewart Air National Guard Base where they will board plans to fly to Fort Hood, Texas for a month of additional training.

WHEN: 8:30 a.m., Sunday, September 18, 2022

WHERE: Camp Smith Training Site, 11 Bear Mountain Bridge Road, Cortlandt Manor, New York 10567

Coverage Opportunities

Reporters can obtain video and still images of the farewell ceremony and Soldiers boarding the buses taking them to Stewart Air National Guard Base. Interviews with leaders, Soldiers and family members can be arranged.

For access to this secure military facility, reporters must contact Staff Sgt, Sebastian Rothwyn at 917-767-7998 .

BACKGROUND

The 369th Sustainment Brigade is configured to provide logistics support to a number of Army brigades by overseeing the operations of supply, transportation and repair units.

The 369th Sustainment Brigade's Soldiers will train at Fort Hood for 30 to 45 days before deployment to Kuwait, where they will provide logistics support to Task Force Spartan, the Army forces operating in Kuwait and Iraq and other areas of the Middle East.

The Soldiers are expected to be overseas for nine to 10 months before returning to the United States.

The brigade traces its history back to the 369th Infantry Regiment which was an African American unit in a segregated Army during World War I, which fought under French command.

The 369th earned the nickname "hellfighters" from their German opponents and served in the front lines longer than any other American unit and earning a number of French awards for heroism.

The 369th previously deployed to Kuwait in 2016 in support of Operation Spartan Shield.

During this deployment, the 369th commanded four logistics battalions-amounting to over 2,700 Soldiers – and conducted sustainment operations at 27 sites, stretching from Afghanistan to Jordan, Syria and Iraq.