Thirty-eight Soldiers from the South Dakota Army National Guard’s 196th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade were welcomed home by family and friends at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, Dec. 14, after returning from duty in Kuwait.
The Sioux Falls-based unit returned home in time for the holidays after a 10-month deployment where the Soldiers conducted security, force protection and base life-support operations at several installations in the country.
“I’ve got four kids at home so this is going to be a big surprise for them,” said Capt. Bracken Robinson. “I can’t wait to get home and see them. It’s very important to be able to spend the holidays together.”
U.S. Senators John Thune and Mike Rounds, along with Maj. Gen. Tim Reisch, adjutant general of the SDNG, were in attendance to welcome the Soldiers home.
“We’re blessed to live in the greatest country in the world - and it doesn’t happen by chance - it happened by service,” Thune said. “Your hard work, loyalty, dedication, skill, talent and experience are brought to bear when we send you out - deploy you - into various places in the world to defend America’s freedoms.”
The ceremony concluded with Lt. Col. Douglas Bogenhagen, mission commander, giving thanks to the Soldiers, family members and supporters in attendance.
“Your support provided us the courage and determination to meet and exceed all of our mission requirements,” Bogenhagen said. “Your thoughts and prayers energized our efforts on a daily basis. Our friends, families and employers are the true heroes and the reason we truly wear this uniform – and proudly wear this uniform.
“We returned healthy, united, proud, and satisfied that our mission was completed to the best our ability.”
The Kuwait deployment completes the second mobilization for the 196th since the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The unit first deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in 2010-2011.
| Date Taken: |
12.15.2016 |
| Date Posted: |
06.07.2017 10:48 |
| Story ID: |
236674 |
| Location: |
SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA, US |
| Web Views: |
32 |
| Downloads: |
0 |
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