Summer 2010 - STATES - The National Guard

Engineers to Deploy to Afghanistan
By Army Sgt. James C. Lally, Massachusetts National
Guard Public Affairs
MILFORD, Mass. – The Massachusetts National
Guard held two separate send-off ceremonies
Feb. 19, 2010, for more than 160 Soldiers in
Brockton and Pittsfield, Mass.
The two groups that make up the 379th
Engineer Company were housed in different
armories located on opposite sides of the state;
therefore, their send-off ceremonies were held
separately in consideration of their families,
friends and supporters.
The 379th Engineer Company’s armory is in
Bourne, Mass., but their ceremony was held at
Massachusetts Gov. Deval L. Patrick, state Sen.
Benjamin B. Downing and state Rep. William
Pignatelli observe a performance of the “Star
Spangled Banner” at a send-off ceremony for the
379th Engineer Company in Pittsfield, Mass.,
Feb. 19, 2010.
Denyce Joslyn-Sommers listens to a speech at a
send-off ceremony for her brother-in-law, Army Sgt.
1st Class Frederick J. Sommers, 379th Engineer
Company, Massachusetts Army National Guard, at
the Massasoit Conference Center in Brockton, Mass.,
Feb. 19, 2010.
10 Minuteman Summer 2010
the Massasoit Conference Center in Brockton.
Detachment One’s armory is in Pittsfield Mass.,
and their ceremony was held at Taconic High
School there. The unit is designed to function
independently because of their varied mission
capabilities, such as providing route clearing
for transport and repairing, maintaining, and
constructing air and ground communication
systems.
Together as one unit, the 379th received yearlong
mobilization orders to deploy to Afghanistan in
support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Gov. Deval L. Patrick and Secretary of the Office
of Public Safety and Security, Mary Elizabeth
Heffernan, attended both ceremonies to show
their support for the Soldiers and their families.
During his speech, Patrick observed the mood
of the Soldiers and their families during the
ceremonies when he said, “There’s a mixture of
pride and anxiety – you can see it on the faces
of the families if you look around the room.”
Army Maj. Gen. Joseph C. Carter, The Adjutant
General, Massachusetts National Guard,
delivered the same message to both groups
when he said, “You will be in our thoughts and
prayers every day, and more importantly, we
will remember and support your families.”
Amy Christian, whose husband is deploying with
the 379th out of Pittsfield said, “I really enjoyed
the ceremony. I thought it was nice that the
governor came out for it.” ✯
Army Sgt. Bre Travers, 379th Engineer Company,
Massachusetts Army National Guard, shakes hands
with Massachusetts Gov. Deval L. Patrick at her sendoff
ceremony at the Massasoit Conference Center in
Brockton, Mass., Feb. 19, 2010.
Members of the 379th Engineer Company, Massachusetts Army National Guard, listen to a speech by
Massachusetts Gov. Deval L. Patrick at their send-off ceremony at Taconic High School in Pittsfield, Mass., Feb.
29, 2010. The company plans to provide oversight of engineer missions to repair, maintain, and construct air and
ground communication systems; provide route clearing for transport; and force protection (U.S. Army photo by
Sgt. James C. Lally, Massachusetts National Guard Public Affairs).