National Guard unit to be honored at special ceremony
CONNELLSVILLE – City officials and veterans’ organizations will take part in a ceremony honoring a local National Guard unit being deployed to Europe to provide security at U.S. military bases around the world. The program will be held Thursday at 7 p.m. on the plaza next to the Connellsville Municipal Building.
“We want to bid them farewell and Godspeed as they take part in protecting our borders,” Mayor Judy Reed said.
About 40 men of Company D, 1st Battalion, 103rd Armor, will join 2,000 soldiers of the Pennsylvania National Guard’s 28th Infantry Division as part of security mission in Europe, beginning in August.
Taking part in the ceremony, said Reed, will be members of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 21 and American Legion posts 301 and 762, along with George Piovesan, Fayette County American Legion commander; John Layton, Connellsville Veterans Commission president; and Nancy C. Jones, VFW Ladies Auxiliary president.
The Molinaro Band, Chrissa Beth Schroyer and Todd Sproul will provide special music for the program.
According to John Maietta, press secretary for the state Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, the Connellsville-based National Guard unit has received its official mobilization notice and will become part of the U.S. Army on June 25 when they travel to Fort Indiantown Gap.
“(At Fort Indiantown Gap) they’ll undergo some final steps, including a showdown inspection where they will lay out all their equipment to make sure they have everything they will need in addition to finalizing paperwork,” said Maietta. “There will also be some briefings and classroom training.”
On June 28, the men will travel to Fort Dix, N.J., where they will undergo more intensive training, added Maietta.
In addition to weapons training, the soldiers will take part in combat and first-aid training, and receive driving instruction and other updates needed to prepare for their tour of duty.
Maietta said information concerning their destination has not been released.
“It has still not been determined whether they will be going to Germany, Italy, Belgium or the Netherlands,” he said.
The mission will include providing security for the military bases, such as screening and searching vehicles as they enter the installations, patrolling on the bases and other security duties.
Reed encourages all residents to show their support to the military personnel by attending the ceremony.