Bend Guard unit demobilization ceremony Saturday
The Oregon Army National Guard is scheduled to hold a demobilization ceremony Saturday afternoon at Bend’s Vince Genna Stadium for about 190 soldiers of 1st Squadron, 82nd Cavalry Regiment, who recently completed their mission in Afghanistan.
The ceremony is scheduled for 3 p.m. at the stadium, located at 405 SE Roosevelt Ave. in Bend. The event is open to the public and media is encouraged to attend.
The 1-82nd Cavalry Squadron mobilized on June 17 of last year to Fort Bliss, Texas, where they conducted training in preparation for the deployment.
The unit was one of three battalion elements of the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team that deployed last summer to provide security in Afghanistan.
The squadron provided base defense operations and security patrols at Shindand Airbase until November 9 .
The squadron was the last U.S. military force to leave Shindand Airbase as the base was officially turned over to the Afghanistan National Army.
The squadron then was “re-missioned” to conduct flight-line security at Kabul Afghanistan International Airport and base defense operations for Camp International Security Assistance Forces (ISAF) in downtown Kabul.
In December, the squadron witnessed history as ISAF turned over operations to North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) non-combat Resolute Support mission.
The squadron continued to conduct base closing, equipment redistribution, and base security missions until they re-deployed to the United States.
More than 90 percent of the soldiers in the squadron have earned combat badges, with 26 soldiers receiving Bronze Star Medals and three Soldiers receiving Purple Hearts.
The unit is headquartered in Bend, with companies also in Klamath Falls, Lebanon, and Redmond, and is commanded by Lt. Col. Daniel D. Miner, Jr.
