Maj. Gen. Daryl Bohac, U.S. Army Nebraska National Guard adjutant general, and Command Sgt. Maj. Marty Baker, U.S. Army Nebraska National Guard state senior enlisted advisor, visited deployed Soldiers of the Nebraska National Guard Main Command Post Operational Detachment (MCPOD) in Kuwait and Iraq from March 26 to 28.
"(This visit) allows the commander the opportunity to talk to his troops and see firsthand the unbelievable things they are doing, and how it directly affects the operations on the ground," said U.S. Army Lt. Col. Darin Huss, MCPOD commander.
The MCPOD is a unit of 87 Soldiers who stood up to augment the 1st Infantry Division from Fort Riley, Kansas in June 2016. This visit was the first opportunity since the deployment started in Oct. 2016, for Bohac and Baker to visit the troops.
"I'm excited that we are getting the opportunity to visit our Soldiers while they are deployed," said Bohac. "I hope it's a strong signal that the MCPOD, as well as any other deployed unit or servicemember, is never far from my thoughts."
During the visit, the Nebraska leadership had a meet and greet meetings with Nebraska Soldiers. This included several dinners at the various locations and town halls to talk about the future goals for the MCPOD.
"This visit was important because it gives the general insight to what operations are like for our National Guard Soldiers here," said U.S. Army Capt. Jason Kivett, intelligence officer, current operations. "It is also valuable to the Soldiers to give them insight to future missions and how it will affect them."
As part of the visit, Bohac and Baker visited the various sections where Nebraska Guard members work.
"It was nice to be able to highlight the Soldiers and what they do on a daily basis," said Kivett of the visits. "It gave them an opportunity to show off their skills and the contributions that are being made to the operation."
This relationship between the MCPOD and the 1st Inf. Div. has formed a unique bond and learning experience.
"The hard work, dedication and perseverance from not only the MCPOD but also 1st Inf. Div. to ensure and validate this new concept will drastically improve the mobilizations and operations of future MCPODs," said Huss. "Building on the strength of combining an effective active force with an economical reserve force, the results will tie together the best of both to provide America with an efficient total Army."
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