The Illinois Army National Guard's 634th Brigade Support Battalion Forward Logistics Element returned home on Saturday, Aug. 2, after supporting U.S. Special Operations Command Africa for approximately six months.
The unit of a little more than a dozen Soldiers was divided into two teams during the deployment with the majority, led by Maj. Donald Tucker of Mattoon, based in Africa and the rest, led by 1st Sgt. Colton Love, stationed in Germany. Both teams traveled frequently providing logistics wherever needed to support U.S. military operations on the African continent.
The unit returned to St. Louis Lambert International Airport on multiple flights from their mobilization station in Texas. There they were greeted by 634th Brigade Support Battalion Commander Lt. Col. Nick Krzesinski, Command Sgt. Maj. Sam Nall, multiple other battalion Soldiers, and some family members. Multiple Soldiers decided to surprise their families at home.
A forward logistics element (FLE) is a diverse team composed of an assortment of military occupation specialties to support the forward-deployed warfighter. The Sullivan-based played a vital role supporting U.S. forces overseas. It was activated on Jan. 20, at the Illinois Army National Guard's Readiness Center in Sullivan for deployment to Africa and Europe.