NORTH FORT HOOD, Texas – A Westwood resident has been training at Fort Hood, Texas, for a deployment to Afghanistan.
Army Lt. Col. Robert A. Dwan, 26th “Yankee” Brigade, Massachusetts Army National Guard, is slated to deploy for one year to Kabul, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Dwan and more than 180 Soldiers from the 26th have been training at Fort Hood since Feb. 15 for their mission.
As the officer in charge of the New Kabul Compound, Dwan, a military police officer, will assist the U.S. forces in Afghanistan to transfer the responsibility of security to the Afghanistan National Security Forces.
Dwan, a 23 year veteran and Guardsman has served with the “Yankee” Brigade for the last three months. He is also a Lieutenant for the Boston Police Department as the last half shift commander. His previous deployments to include Operations Desert Storm, Desert Shield and the Liberation of Kuwait, Dwan has served as a military police platoon leader, helped sustain area security and security of enemy prisoners of war provided convoy security, battlefield circulation control and law enforcement.
Dwan’s military schooling includes the Military Police Basic and Advanced Courses, Physical Security School, Joint Operations Center Training, the Combined Arms and Services Staff School, the Military Police Pre-Command Course, and the Command and General Staff College. He holds a master’s in Criminal Justice from Anna Maria College and a bachelor’s in Business Management and Marketing from Providence College.
Dwan is the son of Patricia and Daniel Dwan. Dwan and his wife Catherine have five children: Allyson 17, Brittany 16, Madyson 14, Robert 13 and Christopher 11.
Dwan is a member of the First Corps of Cadets, the Army National Guard Red Legs Hockey Team, the Army National Guard Association, and the Boston Police Emerald Society. Dwan is also the Assistant Varsity hockey coach at Catholic Memorial High School in West Roxbury Mass.
The 26th “Yankee” Brigade Headquarters will assume command of the Kabul Base Cluster (KBC), which is comprised of 11 U.S. bases operating in Regional Command Capital, Kabul Province. The 26th is a multi-functional command providing command, control, security and support for the KBC.