N.Y. guard troops back from Afghanistan

[unhappycamper]

N.Y. guard troops back from Afghanistan
Staff report
Posted : Tuesday Jan 6, 2009 21:17:57 EST

Soldiers from the New York National Guard’s 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team are expected to return to cities across the state on Jan. 7 after a completing a 10-month deployment to Afghanistan.

About 1,700 soldiers from the brigade mobilized in January 2008 for their mission to train the Afghan army and police. When these latest groups of soldiers arrive home on Jan. 7, to hometowns such as Syracuse, Rochester, Manhattan and Long Island, more than 1,500 soldiers from the brigade would have returned from the deployment.

Another 150 soldiers volunteered to extend their tours in Afghanistan, and about 30 soldiers in the brigade’s trail party are expected to return to New York in mid-January.

In April 2008, after mobilizing and training at Fort Bragg, N.C., the soldiers deployed to Afghanistan and took command of Combined Joint Task Force Phoenix, a training unit of more than 7,400 service members charged with training the Afghan army and police.

Task Force Phoenix was part of Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan, which is in charge of all Afghan army and police training in the country.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/01/army_return_010609w/%2e