FORT DRUM, N.Y. -- Soldiers from 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (LI), have volunteered to deploy to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
The eight Soldiers from 2nd BCT set to join division headquarters in Afghanistan are Maj. Ryan J. Morgan, 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment; Capt. Donald D. Ingrim, Headquarters and Headquarters Company; 1st Lt. Mark S. Buraczeski, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 2nd Battalion, 15th Field Artillery Regiment; 2nd Lt. Daniel J. Capoccia, Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, 1st Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment; Capt. John P. Byler, HHC; Capt. Paul Kubik, HHC, 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment; 1st Lt. Jason M. Shinar, A Company, 2nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion; and Capt. Barclay Keay, HHC, 4-31 Infantry.
"This (allows) the brigade to receive great experience in Operation Enduring Freedom, supports the division staff in their critical mission, and it enables us to shape and mold our upcoming training for any future deployments to Afghanistan," said Maj. Eric Johnson, 2nd BCT executive officer. "Everyone was able to volunteer, and we had a lot of Soldiers willing to go. We had to look at the specialties the division staff was asking for and match that with the specialties that we had available and who we could afford to send down range.
"The division staff needed some additional manpower, and they stressed quality over quantity," Johnson added. "We focused on sending the right people, both for the division and for the brigade. (The) 2nd BCT will gain critical staff experience from this, and we are glad to be able to support the division."
Two of the Soldiers talked about their reasons for volunteering to join division in Afghanistan.
"This is a great way to assist (2nd BCT) by going downrange so I can experience what is going on in Afghanistan firsthand," said Capt. Byler.
Byler has been deployed twice, both times to Iraq, so he said going to Afghanistan will be a great opportunity for him. Upon returning from Afghanistan, Byler said he will take a command position in which he will use the experience he gains from this deployment.
"I volunteered for this to work with the division staff to get a broader range of how one brigade fits into the division," Capt. Ingrim said. "I will be able to take back tactics, techniques, procedures and lessons learned to 2nd Brigade. I can return with a good idea of what the Army is doing in Afghanistan now and bring it back so we can begin to implement it into our training to be more prepared for any future deployments to Afghanistan."
This is the first of two groups from 2nd BCT that will deploy to Afghanistan to support division.
"(Having) 2nd Brigade Soldiers deploying to support division is a win-win for the brigade: they will be assisting the division staff and will return with experience and knowledge of the Afghanistan theater," Johnson said.
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