On Tuesday, a ceremony was held for roughly 800 members of the 1-120th Infantry Battalion of the North Carolina National Guard as they mobilize to the Middle East. Those North Carolina National Guard members will be mobilizing in support of Operation Spartan Shield, which has been ongoing since 2012.
“It means everything,” said Lieutenant Colonel Matt Taylor. “It’s very important to us. We’re citizen soldiers. So we serve the state, North Carolina and the United States when they call.”
A spokesperson for the NCNG said the 800 members would be mobilizing in the next three weeks to a base in Kuwait. It’s likely that they will remain overseas for about one year. The National Guard says the move will improve the battalion’s mobility and help them respond to domestic threats and emergencies with greater efficiency when they return…