CONCORD, N.H. –
A deployment ceremony for 197th Field Artillery Brigade and the 1986th Contingency Contracting Team will be held Saturday, April 2, at the Concord High School gymnasium.
The ceremony begins at 10 a.m.
The New Hampshire Army National Guard units are deploying to the Middle East in support of Operations Inherent Resolve and Spartan Shield.
About 130 soldiers from Headquarters and Headquarters Battery (HHB), 197th FAB, and three from the 1986th will report to Fort Bliss, Texas for pre-mobilization training before departing overseas. Many of the soldiers are coming off COVID orders, having supported pandemic relief operations across the state. The units are based in Manchester and Pembroke.
Although formal combat operations have ended in Iraq and Afghanistan, the U.S. remains committed to maintaining peace and stability in the Middle East. Iran continues to sow violence and remains a significant challenge to Middle East stability. Multiple terrorists groups continue to operate in the region, threatening peace more broadly.
The 197th will serve as a field artillery headquarters for U.S. Army Central Command (CENTCOM), which includes Jordan, Syria, Qatar and Kuwait.
It will work with partner nations, conducting joint exercises and cultural exchanges. It will also be prepared to support joint and multinational field artillery missions in support of unified land operations as well as operate and maintain radar systems to protect coalition forces. It's the brigade's fourth deployment to the Middle East since 2004.
The 1986th will be based in Kuwait. The team will be responsible for planning, coordinating and executing contract support activities for CENTCOM. It's the team's second deployment to Kuwait in the last four years.