News from New York State Division of Military & Naval Affairs

For more information contact: LTC Paul Fanning in Afghanistan Cell: 0798010642 or Eric Durr 518-786-4581

New York National Guard Unit Takes Command in Kabul

Media Can Access Images From Afghanistan

LATHAM, NY (04/25/2008; 1640)(readMedia)-- The command of Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix (CJTF-P), the multi-national unit which is training the Afghan Army and Police, will transfer Saturday, April 26, from the South Carolina National Guard’s 218th Heavy Separate Brigade (HSB) to the New York National Guard’s 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT).

WHO: Colonel Brian K. Balfe, the incoming commander of CJTF-P VII and the 27th IBCT will succeed Brigadier General Robert E. Livingston during a Transfer of Authority Ceremony in Patriot Square, Camp Phoenix in Kabul, Afghanistan.

WHAT: Video and still images of the event can be access by New York Media outlets through DVIDS, the Defense Visual Information Distribution System.

WHEN:The DVIDS feed will got out at 4:30 pm. local time in Afghanistan which is 7 a.m. Eastern Time.

WHERE:Stations which want to download the feed can do so by accessing these coordinates: Galaxy 11 Cband 21 Downlink Frequency 4133 FEC 5/6 Symbol rate 6.113 Data rate 9.386637

Imagery is also available by going to www.dividshub.net. Users must register to retrive high quality images.

Lt. Col. Paul Fanning the 27th BCT/ CJTF Phoneix Public Affairs Officer, will also e-mail still images directly to media outlets who contact him at his e-mail: paul.a.fanning@afghan.swa.army.mil.

BACKGROUND:

This ceremony will signal both the transfer of command responsibility from the 218th to the 27th and, that the CJTF-P mission to train and mentor Afghanistan’s National Security Forces (ANSF) will continue. It also points to the continued commitment by the United States to the Phoenix mission, and to the government and people of Afghanistan.

Nearly 1700 members of the New York National Guard’s 27th IBCT, based in communities from across New York State, deployed for this mission. Thousands of New York troops performed both state and federal active duty following the 9-11, 2001 terrorist attacks. It is the only part of America’s military force that served at “Ground Zero.” Roughly a third of the team in Afghanistan has already served in previous deployments for Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The 218th HSB assumed command of CJTF-P VI in May 2007. During its command tenure, the 218th implemented the training and mentoring program for the Afghan National Police (ANP), while also sustaining the highly successful training program for the Afghan National Army.

The Focused District Development Program, designed to bolster the ANP was also launched during this time, and many outreach projects were accomplished through the 218th’s Commander’s Emergency Response Program, performed in conjunction with the ANSF. The program saw the delivery of tons of critically needed supplies, including food, medicine and clothing to the Afghan people.

For more information contact Lt. Col. Paul Fanning, CJTF Phoenix VII Public Affairs Officer at paul.a.fanning@afghan.swa.army.mil, Cell: 0798010642