LANSING, Mich. – The 1463rd Transportation Company of the Michigan National Guard was officially welcomed home during a Yellow Ribbon reintegration event held Feb. 21 following a 14-month activation in support of U.S. Northern Command, or USNORTHCOM.
The event brings Soldiers and their families together to connect with vital resources for a successful transition back to civilian life. The Soldiers’ mobilization to the U.S. southern border was dynamic and challenging. The unit operated across two states, navigated changes in legal authorities and worked with multiple government agencies.
The Yellow Ribbon program is designed to provide information and support to service members and their families throughout the deployment cycle. Kyle Gwilt, a Yellow Ribbon Coordinator for the Michigan National Guard, emphasized the importance of this post-mobilization event.
"The goal for this event would be to inform Soldiers and their support group, which is their families or friends that they're the closest to, of the resources that they're entitled to following their deployment," Gwilt said. "This weekend they're receiving insurance, education, community outreach, financial and some employment resources."
For Soldiers like Spc. Christian Gutierrez, the return home has been an adjustment.
"The biggest adjustment is the free time, I guess, having more freedom to do what I want, like get in my vehicle when I want, and be on my own schedule," he said.
Upon returning, Gutierrez has sought to create his own structure, using his tuition benefits to enroll in a local community college.
The company's leadership, Capt. Zachery Geno and 1st Sgt. Terrence Marshall, stressed the importance of a smooth reintegration for their Soldiers.
"It is making sure everyone gets home with their families, gets the resources they need and has a safe transition back into normal life," Geno said.
Marshall, a veteran of five deployments, noted the unique challenges of this mission.
"This transition is a little bit harder [than previous activations] because when I was overseas, there was really no leave given, so in some ways it was easier to focus on the mission," Marshall said. “This time, because we were still stateside, many Soldiers struggled to let their family handle business at home.”
Despite the challenges, Geno expressed immense pride in his unit's accomplishments. He highlighted their work with advanced counter-UAS, or Unmanned Aircraft Systems, technology; their role in a wildfire evacuation in California; and life-saving actions by Soldiers at a vehicle accident.
"We were one of the most productive units on the border for the year," Geno said. "Our Soldiers got a lot of training and actual utilization from those systems while working with other governmental agencies."
The command team also emphasized the critical link between family well-being and mission readiness.
"When there's family problems at home, you're not 100% of who you need to be for the mission," Geno said. "Having the resources from the state to support families when there are problems is a force multiplier to allow the Soldiers to actually perform and handle their jobs and not be worried about what's happening at home."
As Soldiers of the 1463rd Transportation Company begin their next chapter, the Yellow Ribbon event serves as a vital bridge, connecting them with the tools and support they need for a healthy and successful return to their families, careers and communities.
"When taken advantage of, it can really change people's circumstances, change their lives and change their futures," Gwilt said about the resources provided.