ANNVILLE, Pa., March 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Today, approximately 500 Pennsylvania National Guard (PNG) members assigned to the 3rd Squadron, 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment, participated in send-off ceremonies in Milton as they prepare to mobilize this spring for deployment to Poland as part of NATO’s Enhanced Forward Presence mission. Governor Tom Wolf and Adjutant General Tony Carrelli thanked the troops and their families.

“Thank you to the proud men and women of the Pennsylvania National Guard as they deploy to Poland,” Governor Tom Wolf said. “We are proud of the work you do every day and will continue to support you and your families throughout this deployment.”

“I am proud of the men and women of the 3^rd Squadron for their hard work and intense training in preparation for their deployment to Poland,” said Maj. Gen. Tony Carrelli, Pennsylvania’s adjutant general and head of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. “I have no doubt that our Allies and NATO leadership will be very impressed with our soldiers’ dedication to this mission. I know I speak for all Pennsylvania citizens when I say, ‘thank you’ for the tremendous sacrifice you are about to make by leaving your families and civilian jobs to protect freedom and liberty throughout the world.”

The unit will lead Battle Group Poland, a multi-national task force comprised of soldiers from the U.S., the United Kingdom, Croatia, and Romania.

They will travel to Texas to complete a culminating exercise and preparation for movement overseas. Upon completion, the 3rd Squadron will deploy to Poland. While in Poland, soldiers will support the interest of NATO allies and participate in a wide range of training exercises with NATO partners.

The unit has been preparing for this mission for over a year. They completed many training events, including a rotation at the National Training Center at Ft. Irwin, CA, in summer 2018. 

The squadron headquarters and headquarters troop is located in Danville, PA, with subordinate Pennsylvania units in Williamsport (I Troop), Wellsboro (K Troop), Lewisburg (L Troop), and Lock Haven (H Troop/278th Regimental Support Squadron).

Founded in 1747, the PNG is the third largest National Guard in the nation and is comprised of nearly 20,000 soldiers and airmen, who reside in every county across the commonwealth. The PNG is part of the DMVA’s dual mission, which also includes supporting Pennsylvania’s nearly 800,000 veterans.

For more information about the DMVA, visit us online at www.dmva.pa.gov or follow us at www.facebook.com/padmva or www.twitter.com/padmva. 

MEDIA CONTACT: LTC Keith Hickox, 717-821-7486

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SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Military and Veterans Affairs