New York Brigade Completes Redeployment

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (01/28/2013)(readMedia)-- The New York Army National Guard's 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team is home. The last five members of the brigade's redeployment, including brigade commander Col. Geoffrey Slack, returned home to family and friends Jan. 26.

The demobilization managed some 1,750 Soldiers in the brigade, redeploying most of them from overseas duties and returning them home over the past month.

New York Army National Guard Soldiers from communities across New York State mobilized one year ago for duties in Afghanistan, Kuwait or Bahrain in support of missions for Operation Enduring Freedom.

The unit deployed in support of more than 25 different missions and locations throughout the Middle East. Most troops arrived overseas in April 2012. The Soldiers performed logistics, administrative and security missions while deployed.

The deployment included Soldiers from the 27th Infantry Brigade Headquarters from Syracuse and three subordinate elements.

Soldiers deployed from the 2nd Battalion, 108th Infantry, headquartered in Utica with elements in Gloversville, Glenville, Geneseo, Ithaca, and Leeds; the 427th Forward Support Battalion, located in Syracuse, Buffalo and Rochester; and the 27th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, headquartered in Buffalo with elements in Lockport and Syracuse.

In addition to the New York Soldiers, some 800 National Guard Soldiers from South Carolina and another 800 from Wisconsin, Alabama, Illinois, Florida, California, Kansas and Michigan also served as part of the 27th Brigade Combat Team.

Most of the brigade's 2nd Battalion 108th Infantry Battalion, which served in Afghanistan, returned home in October. The balance of the brigade returned in December 2012.

Approximately 160 members of the brigade remain on active duty, pending final medical release for treatment or other medical evaluation.

In 2007, the 27th Brigade formed Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix and served across Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom in 2008.

"Our deployment was abundantly successful because we did what we get paid to do -- with honor and selfless sacrifice -- and succeeded in every mission we were assigned... Our team rose to the demands placed ... and can return to their families, homes, and civilian careers in the firm knowledge they did their jobs as genuine American patriots," Slack said.

The New York Army National Guard still has approximately 625 Soldiers serving in either Afghanistan or Kuwait who deployed separately from the brigade.