FORT DRUM, NY (WWTI) — The Association of the US Army in Northern New York wants your assist.
The tenth Combat Aviation Brigade at Fort Drum is slated to deploy to the Middle East in 2024. Over 5,000 troopers presently serve inside the tenth CAB which trains on the Wheeler-Sack Army Airfield.
This deployment will final roughly 9 months, and AUSA has sought volunteers for its Adopt-A-Platoon program. This matches volunteer teams with platoons of 15 to 30 troopers inside the deployable unit.
Volunteers are requested to ship care packages to those troopers all through whereas they’re abroad, in keeping with AUSA Adopt-A-Platoon Director Joseph McLaughlin.
“You can ship a small package deal, a flat fee field. And what’s very nice is, is a birthday card for the troopers through the month of their birthday, or if there is a vacation season, vacation playing cards,” McLaughlin defined. “Anything that is despatched to the troopers to deliver somewhat little bit of residence again to them whereas they’re deployed is critical.
Prior to the deployment, volunteers ought to get to know their troopers, to allow them to brainstorm particular gadgets to ship.
Anyone all through and out of doors of the North Country can undertake one in all these platoons. As of late January, there have been 50 platoons accessible to undertake.
However, McLaughlin, tenth Mountain Division’s Command Sergeant Major (R), is hoping to fill these spots as quickly as doable. He stated the tenth Combat Aviation Brigade is anticipated to deploy by the tip of the spring.
“It could be nice to assign them earlier than they go away or they know the troopers earlier than they go away, and hopefully they’ll come to the welcome residence ceremony after they come again residence,” he added.
The general purpose is to assist make the upcoming deployment somewhat simpler for all Fort Drum troopers.
“We need the troopers to know that the group cares about them,” McLaughlin concluded.
Groups concerned with adopting a tenth Combat Aviation Brigade Platoon ought to electronic mail Joseph McLaughlin at adopta10thmtnplt@gmail.com.
The tenth Combat Aviation Brigade’s final deployment was concluded in 2020. Soldiers had been deployed to Afghanistan for 10 months