EAU CLAIRE, Wis. — The Wisconsin Army National Guard will welcome home more than 250 Soldiers with the 1st Battalion, 128th Infantry Regiment, Saturday, August 9 at 11 a.m. at the Chippewa Valley Regional Airport.
The unit, based in Eau Claire, recently returned from a nearly year-long deployment to the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of operations in support of Operation Spartan Shield. While headquartered at Camp Buehring, Kuwait, the battalion also supported follow-on missions in several other countries across the region.
During their deployment, the 1-128 Infantry provided both mounted and dismounted infantry support to the 2nd Battalion, 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment (ACR). Their responsibilities included serving as an Allied Response Task Force—capable of rapidly responding to incidents throughout the theater—as well as conducting base defense operations and routine security missions across multiple CENTCOM locations.
The unit also participated in several joint and partner-nation training exercises, further strengthening regional military cooperation. Throughout the deployment, the companies of the 128th Infantry executed multiple live-fire exercises, refining their tactical proficiency and combat readiness.
In addition to their operational duties, many Soldiers took advantage of the opportunity to attend prestigious military schools while overseas, earning qualifications in Air Assault, Rappel Master, Pathfinder, and other advanced military education courses. A number of Soldiers also participated in the 278th ACR’s renowned Spur Ride, earning their Silver Spurs—a time-honored tradition in cavalry units.
Family members, friends and members of the local community are invited to attend to welcome home and recognize the accomplishments and sacrifices of these returning Citizen-Soldiers.
