CAMP VIRGINIA, Kuwait, - A group of Wyoming Army National Guard command and support staff recently visited Soldiers with the 115th Fires Brigade currently serving here in an effort to proactively approach the demobilization process for the state's largest deployment.
The brigade has been in Kuwait since June 2009, performing command and control operations as well as convoy escort duties throughout Kuwait and Iraq.
The staff visited Soldiers to ensure a successful demobilization through reintegration, retention and a return to the civilian workforce. The trip also provided a motivational boost for the Soldiers who are beginning to count the days until departure.
The overall message from Kuwait is that of success.
Soldiers remain highly motivated and continue to provide crucial support to military operations on a global scale. As of January, the brigade has supported operations in 12 countries and has driven nearly four million miles during convoy security missions.
Col. Greg Porter, chief of staff of the Wyoming Army National Guard, said the visit was designed to ensure a smooth transition home and to remind Soldiers they will be supported throughout the entire mobilization process.
"It was important for us to go over there and talk to them eye-to-eye," he said.
Porter said Soldiers, their families and employers have sacrificed a great deal throughout this deployment. Bringing the Soldiers home physically, mentally and spiritually intact is the primary objective of the support entities here in Wyoming as well as their command counterparts in Kuwait.
The visit also included Becki Hunter, the Wyoming Guard's employment coordinator.
"When the unit left the state, we knew of roughly 200 individuals who were unemployed," she said. "It was Col. Porter's intent to get these guys on solid ground when they get home."
With a box full of resume templates and business cards, Hunter spent nearly three full days talking with Soldiers about employment opportunities throughout Wyoming. She also discussed the current job environment in the state and met one-on-one with Soldiers to provide guidance.
"My mission is to equip (Soldiers) with the tools in order to get a job," she said. "I'm here as a resource."
But Hunter said the trip also served as a huge morale booster. "Just a little taste of home does huge things for the Soldiers," she said. "It's amazing."
Lt. Col. Greg Phipps, deputy chief of staff for personnel, discussed the Yellow Ribbon Program and how it relates to the reintegration process. He also met with brigade command staff regarding administrative topics and command climate conditions.
But beyond the official capacity of his visit, Phipps also made time to visit with Soldiers, saying the visit will help Soldiers remember that home is not far off - reiterating the fact that Wyoming cares.
"It's really good from a morale standpoint," Phipps said. "Home is out there, it's not just a fleeting thought. It kind of offers a minor distraction - in a healthy way."
"In the end, we got the mission and we got each other," Phipps said. "We're one Wyoming Guard, and we care."