More than 80 Soldiers of the Georgia National Guard’s 201st Regional Support Group Forward returned home Dec. 1 after a nearly year-long deployment to Europe. Soldiers and family members were reunited during a welcome home ceremony at the Clay National Guard Center in Marietta.
“You represent the very best of our nation,” said Maj. Gen. Dwayne Wilson, commander of the Georgia Army National Guard. “All of you have performed in an exceptional manner over the last 10 months.”
During their deployment, the Soldiers of the 201st RSG supported base operations for more than 60,000 personnel at multiple stations throughout Europe. Their mobilization was part of a rotation of U.S. military forces that conduct multinational training and operations with allies to build regional security.
“You had a very challenging mission and a very unique mission, providing support to nine forward operating sites across four countries … delivering unparalleled support to U.S. and NATO forces,” said Wilson. “Our forces in Europe are more capable because of you, and our world is safer because of you.”
The 201st RSG comprises a diverse group of units with specialty response missions, supporting overseas combat and domestic emergency response operations.
The 201st RSG has deployed units and personnel multiple times since its 2004 organization. Soldiers of the 201st mobilized to Afghanistan from 2011-2012 and 2013-2014. In 2018, Soldiers of the 201st mobilized to Iraq, serving as base operating support integrator for Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve. Subordinate units of the 201st RSG have also supported operations in Korea and Egypt.
Since Sept. 11, 2001, more than 30,000 Citizen-Soldiers and Citizen-Airmen of the Georgia National Guard have deployed to support overseas missions.
By Maj. William Carraway, Georgia National Guard
