Oregon Army National Guard unit faces possible deployment
The 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the Oregon Army National Guard has received notification for approximately 2,400 soldiers to potentially mobilize overseas. This mobilization will likely start in the fall and winter of 2019, the Oregon Military Department said Wednesday.
Potential locations for the deployment include the Middle East, Africa and/or Eastern Europe. There will be more information available once an alert order is received closer to the actual deployment.
The 41st IBCT is made up of battalions from Oregon, Washington and New Mexico. All subordinate battalions will most likely be represented in this mobilization, but as of now, specific units have not been formally identified.
The 41st IBCT recently completed their brigade field training exercise, known as eXportable Combat Training Capability. The training exercise prepares the brigade for supporting federal mobilizations such as this.
“We have been training for this type of deployment with our culminating event of XCTC, where the 41st as a whole has superbly performed from the brigade to the platoon level,” said Col. Eric Riley, brigade commander of the 41st IBCT.
“The 41st Brigade has been assigned this mobilization and will answer the call to serve, just as it has since World War I. It’s an honor to serve in this historic brigade with such a rich history.”
The history of the 41st Brigade can be traced back to 1917, when the 41st Infantry Division was created for service in World War I, comprising National Guard units from Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana. The 41st Infantry Division was the longest deployed division during World War II, serving in the Pacific.
Elements of the 41st Infantry Brigade have served in Saudi Arabia, the Sinai, Kuwait, Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan. The brigade deployed a large contingent known as Task Force Phoenix to Afghanistan in 2006 and again deployed the entire brigade to Iraq in 2009. The most recent overseas deployment of the 41st IBCT was in 2014-2015 to Afghanistan.
The National Guard is an operational force with a dual mission of serving both at home and abroad. The 41st IBCT is trained and ready for any mission. Support from families, loved ones, and employers make it possible for us to serve our communities, state and nation.
