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Back to Iraq?
Eastern Oregon Guard unit notified of possible deployment Friday
By Pat Caldwell
Argus Observer
PatC@argusobserver.com
Sunday, September 6, 2009 1:40 AM PDT
Ontario—No surprise.
That is the consensus opinion of several Idaho and Oregon Army National Guard soldiers in the wake of an alert notification from the United States Department of Defense Friday.
The announcement places Idaho’s 116th Cavalry Brigade on alert in preparation for a mobilization to deploy overseas.
The 116th Brigade consists of Guard units from Idaho, Montana and Oregon. Eastern Oregon’s 3rd Battalion is part of the 116th Cavalry Brigade.
“It is not a surprise. We have been in the same schedule for four years now,” Lt. Col. Kevin Sheehy, Union, said. Sheehy is the commander of the 3rd Battalion.
The 3rd Battalion headquarters is situated in La Grande, and the unit consists of citizen-soldier outfits from central Oregon, Hermiston, The Dalles, Hood River, Pendleton, Baker City and Ontario.
Sheehy said the alert order is just that: a notification for Guardsmen across Eastern Oregon to be prepared.
“It not a mobilization order, so it’s not like tomorrow we have to show up and get ready to go. It is just alerting the unit for deployment sometime in the future,” he said.
Down at the Ontario Armory, Staff Sgt. Donald Clapp, Payette, agreed with his boss that the alert order was not a shock. Since the 3rd Battalion returned from its first deployment to Iraq — in late 2005 — the expectation has been the unit could go overseas a second time.
“I did believe we had a chance to deploy again,” he said.
Idaho National Guard spokesman Lt. Col. Tim Marsano also confirmed the alert order was anticipated.
“The 116th has been expecting this, really been expecting this for over a year,” he said.
Marsano said the 116th Brigade Combat Team could go to Iraq.
“The notification we received today (Friday) shows Iraq but of course that is not etched in stone,” he said.
The 116th Brigade Combat Team consists mostly of citizen-soldiers from Idaho.
The brigade boasts about 3,000 Guardsmen, with about 2,000 from the Gem State.
Eastern Oregon’s 3rd Battalion roster consists of between 600 and 800 Guardsmen.
Sheehy said his unit is ready to go and look forward to the challenge of another deployment.
“We’re ready. And I’m honored that I would be in a position where I could go as the commander of the organization,” he said.
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