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CONTACT: Eric Durr at 518-786-4581
FOR RELEASE: Thursday, Feb 18, 2010

Walton-based Soldiers Mobilize For Duty In Afghanistan

Soldiers Will Leave For Fort McCoy on Sunday Following Airport Ceremony in Elmira

WALTON, NY (02/18/2010)(readMedia)-- Almost 100 friends, family members and other well-wishers turned out to bid farewell to 20 New York Army National Guard Soldiers from the 827th Engineer Company who mobilized for duty in Afghanistan Thursday, Feb. 18. The Army National Guard Soldiers will depart for Fort McCoy, Wisconsin where they will do their final training on Sunday, Feb. 21. They will spend the next two days doing administrative tasks at the company's main Armory in Horseheads, Chemung County. They will board an aircraft heading for Fort McCoy following a ceremony at the Wings of Eagles Discovery Center at the Elmira Airport. The Soldiers of the 827th have been training for the deployment for the past year. The 827th is a " horizontal construction company", which means they specialize in building and repairing roads. The company and the Walton detachment are part of the 204th Engineer Battalion in Binghamton. The 204th Engineer Battalion is the only engineer battalion in the New York Army National Guard and plays a significant role when the Guard responds to state emergencies. For this upcoming deployment to Afghanistan, the 827th will be doing primarily road construction with D7-Dozers, Scrapers, Graders, and general earthmoving equipment. They are regularly called to assist the State with snow removal and flood support such as their recent State Mission with flooding of Delaware and Sullivan counties June 18, 2007. The Company has been augmented with additional Soldiers from the 204th Engineer Battalion located in Binghamton and the 152 Engineer Company located in Buffalo. These Soldiers from Buffalo recently assisted with flooding of Gowanda and Silver Creek, NY 11-19 August 2009. Capt.Jeffrey Miles is the Company Commander and 1st Sgt.Armando Lopez is the First Sergeant. Photo Cutlines: 100218A-5362A-054 WALTON - Private First Class Jay Williams, his wife Amanda and Mother-In-Law Barbara Barriger bow their heads during the invocation at a mobilization ceremony February 18 at the New York National Guard armory in Walton. PFC Williams is a member of Det 1, 827 Engineer Company that is deploying to Afghanistan. 100218A-5362A-074 WALTON - Sergeant Randelle Mcumber and her boyfriend Matthew Kiesow during the mobilization ceremony for Det 1, 827 Engineer Company, Thursday February 18. Mcumber a 92A with Det 1, "is anxious to go" she said. "The sooner we go and do this, the sooner we come home". "I think it will be a good experience" said Mcumber 100218A-5362A-051 WALTON - Captain Erik Stevens speaks to the crowd of soldiers, families and friends of Det. 1, 827 Engineer Company gathered for a mobilization ceremony Thursday, February 18 at the Walton, NY armory. Det 1 is made up mostly of Heavy Construction Equipment Operators and will deploy to Afghanistan after training at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin. Capt. Stevens is the Battalion Operations Officer.

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© NYS DMNA Press Release:Walton-based Soldiers Mobilize For Duty In Afghanistan
URL: https://dmna.ny.gov/pressroom/?id=1266539225
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Page Last Modified: Feb 18, 2010