Nevada Army Guard transportation company prepares to support forces across Europe

LAS VEGAS — The Nevada Army National Guard’s 1864th Medium Transportation Company held a mobilization ceremony Nov. 9 at Sierra Vista High School ahead of its deployment later this fall to support U.S. forces across Europe.

The company will support U.S. European Command through Operation European Assure, Deter and Reinforce, a U.S. Army Europe and Africa initiative that strengthens NATO’s eastern flank and deters threats across the region. Its transportation mission will help keep supplies and equipment moving to troops supporting those efforts.

Brig. Gen. Randy Lau, land component commander of the Nevada Army National Guard, addressed the company’s role in sustaining forces overseas.

“Without transportation, supplies don’t reach the fight,” Lau said. “Equipment doesn’t get where it needs to be, and combat formations cannot sustain their operations. You are not simply moving equipment; you are enabling combat power.”

The deployment comes just over 30 years after the company’s activation in October 1996. Its numerical designation honors 1864, the year Nevada entered the Union during the Civil War.

The company first deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom in November 2004, hauling heavy equipment, ammunition and supplies from Kuwait throughout Iraq. During that deployment, the company logged more than 3.5 million miles and encountered 65 enemy engagements.

The unit returned to Iraq from 2009 to 2010, conducting heavy equipment transportation missions during the drawdown of U.S. forces. The company completed more than 300 missions and logged 1.2 million miles. Its service earned the Meritorious Unit Commendation.

Stateside missions have also tested the company’s ability to move military cargo over long distances and through difficult conditions. During Operation Patriot Bandoleer in 2017, its Soldiers transported 90 loads of munitions over Donner Pass while supporting the California Army National Guard through severe winter weather.

The company later supported Northern Strike exercises in 2018 and 2019, driving nearly 400,000 convoy miles to support aviation assets across multiple states.

As the 1864th prepares for its next overseas assignment, Capt. Kristopher Hayman, company commander, spoke about the demands and fulfillment of deploying.

“There is nothing harder for a Soldier to do than to deploy overseas. At the same time, there is nothing more rewarding than deploying overseas,” Hayman said.

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.