News from New York State Division of Military & Naval Affairs

For more information contact: Sgt. 1st Class Arthur Coon, Office: 518-792-1229 or Cell: 518-542-4726

National Guard Members Honor Home Depot for Soldier Support

Media Advisory for National Guard presentation to local Capital Region retailer

LATHAM, NY (05/05/2008; 0900)(readMedia)-- The New York Army National Guard honors a local Capital Region retailer this week for its strong support of a local area Citizen Soldier deployed overseas in the Global War on Terror.

Sgt. Joseph Parker, an infantryman from Company B of the National Guard’s 2nd Battalion, 108th Infantry in Morrisonville, N.Y. deployed to Afghanistan last year as part of an Afghan National Army Embedded Training Team.

WHO: Mrs. Ashley Parker, wife of New York Army National Guard Sgt. Joseph Parker currently deployed to Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom and Sgt. 1st Class Arthur Coon representing the Soldiers from the Morrisonville, Glens Falls and Hoosick Falls armories of the New York Army National Guard.

WHAT: Presentation of a certificate of appreciation and flag flown over a forward operating base in Afghanistan to the management and employees of The Home Depot of Queensbury, N.Y. in honor of their support to the servicemen and women of the New York Army National Guard currently serving overseas.

WHEN: Tuesday, May 6 at 10 a.m.

WHERE: The Home Depot, 820 Route 9, Queensbury, N.Y.

BACKGROUND:

Sgt. Joseph Parker worked for Home Depot in Queensbury prior to his mobilization and deployment in October 2007. He sent a framed certificate and flag flown at his forward operating base in Afghanistan. He requested that Sgt. 1st Class Coon and his spouse Ashley present it to the management at the Home Depot in Queensbury in honor of their continued support of his unit and their Soldiers. The retail store sent care packages, tools and has shown tremendous support to Parker since his deployment and absence from the store.

As a member of an embedded training team, Soldiers live, eat, sleep and train with the soldiers of the Afghan National Army, resulting in a special bond and relationship that expands beyond cultural and national boundaries. The team mentors the Afghan unit by assigning a U.S. military officer and experienced NCO to each company. They also assign personnel to each of the functional areas on the battalion staff, like administration, training and supply.

Sgt. Parker and the Soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, 108th Infantry are expected to return from their embedded training team mission in October this year.

For information about the retail store, contact Dan Scheich at the Home Depot in Queensbury at (518) 798-8301.

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