Guam – There may be fewer Guam Army National Guard Soldiers from the 1-294th Infantry Regiment to deploy in 2013 to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, according to Major General Benny M. Paulino, The Adjutant General of the Guam National Guard.
A reported change or cancellation to a pending mobilization for the majority of the 29th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT) was announced by the Hawaii Army National Guard recently. The 1-294th IN RGT, as well as the F Company, 29th Support Battalion, are both organic units under the 29th IBCT.
“The change or cancellation of the pending mobilization definitely affects our deployment. All indicators are that our mission is still intact, although it does look like our numbers may be reduced to up to about two-thirds of the approximately 850 Soldiers who were originally slated to deploy.”
“This is all preliminary and things could change or the mission may remain on course,” MAJ GEN Paulino said.
If the size of the 29th IBCT is reduced for the mobilization, the remaining units will be placed in the Contingency Expeditionary Force pool and have been informed to continue with preparations for deployment.
The 1-294th IN RGT is composed of Soldiers from Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
The 29th IBCT received a Notification of Sourcing (NOS) in April 2011 and the change to this NOS was received recently, according to a release from the Hawaii National Guard.
