Troops Part of Wisconsin's 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team Called to Duty in Iraq

Members of the community are invited to join family and friends of Green Bay's Army National Guard Company B, 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry for a community send-off beginning at 4 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 5, in the Lambeau Field Atrium.

Doors open for the event at 3 p.m., and activities formally will get underway at 4 p.m. with the troops marching in with the color guard. Guest speakers will address the troops and each individual soldier will be recognized. The send-off will end at approximately 6:30 p.m.

Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy and players Mason Crosby, James Jones and Jordy Nelson will be among those on hand to wish the soldiers well.

According to the Wisconsin National Guard, the 130 members of the Green Bay unit, part of the 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, were notified last fall about the call-up and will report for duty later this month, then travel to a U.S. Army installation in Texas on Feb. 21 for about one month of training before they deploy overseas. The total mobilization is expected to last about one year. The soldiers will spend about 10 months of the year-long mobilization in Iraq.

The 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, the Wisconsin National Guard's largest unit, has an authorized strength of about 3,450 soldiers with units in 36 Wisconsin communities.

This will be the largest operational deployment of Wisconsin National Guard forces since World War II.