{"id":21016,"date":"2023-08-01T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-08-01T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=21016"},"modified":"2023-08-01T19:17:03","modified_gmt":"2023-08-01T19:17:03","slug":"wisconsin-guard-unit-returns-home-from-africa-deployment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=21016","title":{"rendered":"Wisconsin Guard Unit Returns Home From Africa Deployment"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n Maj. Gen. Paul Knapp, Wisconsin\u2019s adjutant general, and other senior Wisconsin National Guard officials welcomed home approximately 260 Soldiers of the Wisconsin Army National Guard\u2019s 157th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade at Dane County Regional Airport July 29, 2023. The 157th returned from a nine-month deployment to Djibouti, Africa, in support of Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa. (Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs photo by Vaughn R. Larson)
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MADISON, Wis. – More than 250 Soldiers from the Wisconsin Army National Guard\u2019s 157th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade returned to Wisconsin after a nine-month deployment to Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti to support Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa.<\/p>\n

A large gathering of family and friends \u2014 many fighting back tears while holding signs, pictures of their deployed loved ones, and flowers \u2014 welcomed the Soldiers upon their arrival at Dane County Regional Airport. Maj. Gen. Paul Knapp, Wisconsin\u2019s adjutant general, and other senior Wisconsin National Guard leaders were the first to welcome the members of the 157th MEB.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we met before your deployment last September, I told you that deployments were bittersweet,\u201d Knapp said during a brief ceremony for the returning troops at the Wisconsin Air National Guard\u2019s 115th Fighter Wing base at Truax Field. \u201cYou embark on a journey that takes you away from your family and friends for months to serve your nation, to show the country and the world what it means to be a member of the Wisconsin National Guard.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour return today is only sweetness,\u201d Knapp continued, \u201cbecause you come home to loved ones that have been counting the days until your return.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 157th MEB is the first Wisconsin Army National Guard brigade-level unit to deploy to Africa. Members performed a headquarters staff mission for CJTF-HOA \u2014 ensuring strategic partnerships with Djibouti and other partner nations, responding to crises, and enhancing stability and peace in the region by acting as a headquarters support unit to coordinate and facilitate mission accomplishment.<\/p>\n

Col. Eric Leckel, 157th MEB commander, praised the returning Guardsmen as the \u201cfinest Soldiers in the United States Army\u201d for their achievements while deployed as part of the only standing task force on the African continent.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey left a lasting impact on the citizens of Africa, and their commitment has ensured that U.S. interests are better postured for the future,\u201d Leckel said. He said the 157th MEB\u2019s commitment and tenacity strengthened strategic influence, ensuring the United States as \u201ca partner of choice in one of the most key pieces of terrain in the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

Members of the 157th MEB worked hand-in-hand with their Djibouti counterparts and other partner nations on integrated security tactics, mobility and functional methods. They supported efforts to counter Al Shabaab and other regional terror organizations, respond to emergencies throughout the continent, and evacuate the U.S. embassy in Sudan during that nation\u2019s civil war.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am extremely proud of our Soldiers and their actions in Africa,\u201d Leckel said. \u201cDay after day, I witnessed our troops work with partner organizations to ensure that our time in Africa was a success. Their selfless acts and exceptional service helped shape destinies, promote peace and create a better future for all.\u201d<\/p>\n

Leckel and Knapp thanked the families for supporting their loved ones throughout the deployment.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe cannot serve our state and country without your support,\u201d Knapp said.<\/p>\n

For more National Guard news<\/a><\/p>\n

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National Guard Twitter<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Maj. Gen. Paul Knapp, Wisconsin\u2019s adjutant general, and other senior Wisconsin National Guard officials welcomed home approximately 260 Soldiers of the Wisconsin Army National Guard\u2019s 157th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade at Dane County Regional Airport July 29, 2023. The 157th returned from a nine-month deployment to Djibouti, Africa, in support of Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":21018,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21016","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21016","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=21016"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21016\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21019,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21016\/revisions\/21019"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/21018"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=21016"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=21016"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=21016"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}