Operation Southern Watch
Company B, 2nd Battalion, 153 Infantry, and Company B, 3rd Battalion, 153rd Infantry of the 39th BCT were activated for Operation Southern Watch, May through September 1999. Company B, 2–153rd deployed to Kuwait while Company B, 3–153rd deployed to Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia. Soldiers provided security at Patriot missile batteries during these deployments. The mission lasted a total of seven months, and was the first "pure" National Guard effort in the region. Company C, 1st Battalion, 153rd Infantry carried on the 39th's role in Operation Southern Watch when they replaced Company B, 2–153rd IN in September 1999.
Company B, 3rd Battalion, 153rd Infantry was the first National Guard unit since the Vietnam War to be involuntarily mobilized by presidential order (President Bill Clinton). The unit was mobilized to support operations in Operation Southern Watch. The 3rd BN Commander was LTC Ewing, B Company Commander was CPT Rozenberg and the company first sergeant was 1SG Nutt. B Company consisted of over 120 soldiers from the Camden and Fordyce units and volunteers from other areas of south and central Arkansas. The unit primarily provided security for two active duty Army Patriot missile batteries in Saudi Arabia. The units conducted initial training for the deployment in Camp Robinson Arkansas and 7th ID in Fort Carson Colorodo. The success of the mission laid the ground work for additional deployments of National Guard units.
Read more about this topic: 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (United States)
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