PIERRE, S.D. (KELO.com) — The South Dakota National Guard’s Alpha Battery, 147th Field Artillery &. 147th Forward Support Company of Aberdeen and Watertown were officially deployed Sunday, September 1, 2019, as they get ready to go to Europe to participate in Operation Atlantic Resolve/European Deterrence Initiative.
Governor Kristi Noem spoke at the ceremony saying “Today is a very special day, but it is also a day that we hold a lot of respect for the sacrifices the so many families across the state of South Dakota make.”
“As Commander in Chief, I recognize that these soldiers today are fully trained and ready to do their job. The South Dakota National Guard always serves with excellence. That makes me incredibly proud and I’m so grateful in their willingness to go forward and defend our freedoms.”
The primary destination is Poland and Germany, but may also include Hungary, Romania, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Latvia, and Estonia.
The units will report to Fort Bliss, Texas, to complete several weeks of theater-specific training prior to deployment overseas.
The unit is made of 114 soldiers and will deactivate in mid-to-late June 2020.
(Jerry Oster, WNAX, contributed to this report.)
