THE 1-294th Infantry Regiment and F Company, 29th Brigade Support Battalion, will be deployed to Afghanistan early next year in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
According to a Guam Army National Guard press release, this unit’s deployment can be considered as the largest group of reserve component troops to be mobilized and deployed from Guam.
The unit received a “Notification of Sourcing” on April 2011 and was told to prepare for a possible deployment to Afghanistan in 2013. Last April, the battalion received an official alert order which prompted additional training for possible deployment.
Lt. Col. Michael Tougher, commander of the 1-294th IN RGT, said: “The 1st battalion, 294th Infantry Regiment and the Guam National Guard have been working hard to ensure that our soldiers are trained and equipped to safely perform the unit’s upcoming mission in Afghanistan. The recent publishing of the unit’s mobilization order helps to ensure that resources will continue to be available as we work to ensure that our soldiers receive the very best preparation the Army can provide.”
Guam National Guard senior leaders are currently working with the Department of the Army on the specific mission, the number of soldiers to be deployed, and the deployment date location which will be announced at a later date. Close to 600 soldiers are slated to deploy as part of the battalion.
The 1-294th IN RGT is composed of soldiers from Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
