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HomeNewsTennessee National Guard's 230th Signal Company heads to Kuwait

Tennessee National Guard’s 230th Signal Company heads to Kuwait

Written by Maj. Darrin Haas

Tennessee National GuardNashville, TN – More than 120 Soldiers from the National Guard’s 230th Signal Company, based in Nashville, left December 4th on the first leg of a one-year deployment to Kuwait in support of Operation Spartan Shield.

The unit departed Houston Barracks, the Tennessee Military Department Headquarters, by bus and traveled to Nashville International Airport, where they boarded a plane headed to Fort Hood, Texas. The company will spend around one month at Fort Hood undergoing advanced pre-deployment training prior to departing for Kuwait.

Guardsmen from Nashville's 230th Signal Company pose for company photograph prior to boarding a bus to begin their journey to Fort Hood, Texas, for roughly one month of pre-deployment training. Following their training, the Soldiers will deploy to Kuwait for one year in support of Operation Spartan Shield. (Sgt. 1st Class Edgar Castro)
Guardsmen from Nashville’s 230th Signal Company pose for company photograph prior to boarding a bus to begin their journey to Fort Hood, Texas, for roughly one month of pre-deployment training. Following their training, the Soldiers will deploy to Kuwait for one year in support of Operation Spartan Shield. (Sgt. 1st Class Edgar Castro)

“We’re all very excited to get to Hood to finish training,” said Capt. Gilbert Abrams, the unit’s commander. “We’ve been working really hard and are looking forward to putting it to use overseas.”

During the deployment, the company will forward-deploy communications teams throughout Kuwait, Iraq, Afghanistan, and other countries throughout the Middle East. They’ll provide Information Technology support, fiber-optic connections, and network support for U.S. troops.

“We have many talented and skilled Soldiers in the unit,” Abrams said. “Many are IT professionals or communications specialist in their civilian jobs. There are also many combat veterans in the unit from previous deployments with the Tennessee National Guard.”

This is not the first time the company has deployed. It conducted a similar mission in Kuwait from July 2011 to August 2012.

More than 27,000 Tennessee Army and Air National Guardsmen have deployed since September 11th, 2001.

Staff Sgt. Aaron Canfield, of Nashville, says good-bye to his daughter during the farewell ceremony for the 230th Signal Company at Houston Barracks on December 4, prior to embarking on a one-year deployment to the Middle East. (Sgt. 1st Class Edgar Castro)
Staff Sgt. Aaron Canfield, of Nashville, says good-bye to his daughter during the farewell ceremony for the 230th Signal Company at Houston Barracks on December 4, prior to embarking on a one-year deployment to the Middle East. (Sgt. 1st Class Edgar Castro)

 

Sgt. Maj. Chris Davenport and Staff Sgt. William Jones say farewell to Pfc. Aaron Jones at a good-bye ceremony for the 230th Signal Company at Houston Barracks on December 4. For Aaron Jones, the oldest son of William Jones, this will be his first deployment. All three Soldiers are from Ashland City. (Sgt. 1st Class Edgar Castro)
Sgt. Maj. Chris Davenport and Staff Sgt. William Jones say farewell to Pfc. Aaron Jones at a good-bye ceremony for the 230th Signal Company at Houston Barracks on December 4. For Aaron Jones, the oldest son of William Jones, this will be his first deployment. All three Soldiers are from Ashland City. (Sgt. 1st Class Edgar Castro)
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