Over 260 TN Guardsmen depart for first leg of year-long deployment to Middle East

From Local 3 News: More than 260 Guardsmen with the Tennessee Army National Guard's 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment left from both Knoxville and Smyrna on Friday for their first leg of deployment in the Middle East.

According to the Tennessee Department of Military, soldiers are now serving in Fort Cavasos, Texas for a few weeks of deployment training before flying to Kuwait, where they will stay for almost a year.

“Our Guardsmen have been preparing and training rigorously the past year for this deployment,” said Major General Warner Ross, Tennessee’s Adjutant General. “I could not be prouder of all they have accomplished and I’m confident they will represent Tennessee with pride and professionalism.”

While in Kuwait, soldiers will help with "Operation Spartan Shield", which aims to build partnerships with the Middle East to promote regional self-reliance and extra security.
"As a part of U.S. Central Command, these Guardsmen will assist maintaining a military posture in the region, help strengthen defense relationships, and serve as an enhanced force throughout the area," says the Department of Military.

The team will replace Tennessee's Task Force One, who have been deployed to Kuwait since October 2024. The returning team is made up of around 700 Tennessee National Guardsmen from the 278th 2nd Squadron.
 
The returning soldiers were recently visited by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and First Lady Maria Lee.

“We owe a debt of gratitude to the Tennesseans who bravely serve our state and nation,” said Gov. Lee. “Maria and I are deeply grateful to our soldiers deployed in the Middle East who demonstrate the Volunteer Spirit through their remarkable commitment to defending our freedoms, and I thank them for their unwavering dedication.”

The outgoing 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment is headquartered in Knoxville and is the largest unit in Tennessee, one of five armored brigade combat teams in the National Guard. Joining them in Kuwait will be an additional 160 soldiers in Germany who recently deployed as part of a Joint Multinational Training Group-Ukraine.