STEWART AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, NEWBURGH, N.Y. - More than 450 New York Army National Guard soldiers of the 101st Expeditionary Signal Battalion - based in Yonkers, Orangeburg and Peekskill - will say goodbye to their families and depart for post-mobilization training at Fort Bliss, Texas, at Stewart Air National Guard Base here on Sunday, August 19. The Soldiers are schedule to deploy to Afghanistan.

There are currently 1,800 members of the New York Army National Guard deployed in Afghanistan and Kuwait or training to deploy overseas.

WHO: 450 soldiers of the 101st Expeditionary Signal Battalion, based in Yonkers, Orangeburg, and Peekskill, along with their families and key leaders of the New York Army National Guard.

WHAT: A farewell ceremony in which the soldiers will be addressed by Major General ( two-star) Patrick Murphy, the Adjutant General of New York, Brigadier General (one-star) Michael Swezey, commander of the 53rd Troop Command, and Ms. Mary Kavaney Assistant Deputy Secretary for Public Safety, representing Gov. Andrew Cuomo. At the conclusion of the ceremony the Soldiers will move to a hangar at Stewart ANGB to wait for their transportation. The ceremony will last approximately 45 minutes.

WHEN: 10 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 19, 2012. Members of the media must be at the Stewart Air National Guard Base front gate No Later Than 0850 in order to gain access to this secure military facility.
WHERE: Stewart Air National Guard Base, Maguire Way, Newburgh, N.Y.

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