FARMINGDALE, NEW YORK -- Thirty-seven New York Army National Guard Soldiers based in Farmingdale who will be deploying to Kuwait later this year, mobilized during a short ceremony held on Friday, October 8.
The Soldiers are assigned to the 187th Signal Company which is located at the Farmingdale Armed Forces Reserve Center. They will depart New York for additional training at Fort Hood, Texas on Sunday, October 9.
The Soldiers will train at Fort Hood for about a month before departing for Kuwait. They are expected to be overseas for about 10 months.
They will reinforce 250 troops assigned to the 369th Sustainment Brigade which will oversee personnel, logistical, and maintenance support for Task Force Spartan, the force of 10,000 Army troops operating in the region.
The brigade is currently training at Fort Hood before deploying to Kuwait.
Major General Michel Natali, the assistant adjutant general of the New York National Guard, urged the Soldiers to look out for each other during their deployment.
He told the Soldiers they were well-trained and ready for the mission and will do well.
The New York Army National Guard currently has 1,900 Soldiers deployed overseas or in training to deploy.
1,100 Soldiers are assigned to security missions at U.S. facilities in the Horn of Africa, while 140 Soldiers assigned to Task Force Orion are assisting in training Ukrainian soldiers in Germany.
Another 250 Soldiers assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 142nd Aviation, which is headquartered in Ronkonkoma, are currently serving in Kuwait.