MANSFIELD — Approximately 150 members of the Ohio Air National Guard’s 179th Airlift Wing recently departed for a multi-month deployment to the Middle East in support of Operation Spartan Shield.
A majority of the members are from the 164th Airlift Squadron and 179th Maintenance Group.
They will fly and maintain the C-130H aircraft as part of intra-theater operations across the area of responsibility in a mission that will last until this fall.
Members of the 179th will be the lead unit, augmented by active duty and reserve members in their forward deployed environments. The primary mission for members of the 179th will be to provide direct support to the combatant commander.
Operation Spartan Shield is a unique, multi-component organization, made up of active Army and National Guard units, rounded out by U.S. Army Reserve support units.
Through Operation Spartan Shield, Task Force Spartan maintains a U.S. military posture in Southwest Asia sufficient to strengthen defense relationships and build partner capacity.
Units supporting OSS provide capabilities such as aviation, logistics, force protection and information management, and facilitate theater security cooperation activities such as key leader engagements, joint exercises, conferences, symposia and humanitarian assistance/disaster response planning.
“Our Airmen are combat tested and prepared to provide a high level of tactical air-land and airdrop capabilities to the deployed commander 24/7,” said Col. Todd Thomas, 179th commander.
“This past year has presented a unique and difficult set of circumstances to navigate and prepare for this, but our Airmen have stepped up to serve and we’re extremely proud of their commitment,” Thomas said.
“Due to COVID-19 mitigation measures, deploying members left in smaller groups on separate aircraft spanned out over several days. Each group was COVID-19 tested and restricted of unnecessary public movements leading up to their departure to mitigate any possible spread,” Thomas said.
Maj. Gen. John C. Harris Jr., Ohio adjutant general, was joined by Maj. Gen. James R. Camp, assistant Ohio adjutant general for Air, and Command Chief Master Sgt. Heidi A. Bunker, state command chief, in seeing the groups off.
All members are expected to return by early fall 2021.
“Good luck on your mission. God bless you. I don’t exaggerate when I say that you’re in my family’s prayers every single night,” Harris said.
