Here we go again....

How to make Momma Kat say an unChristian word or two (sorry God...) and cry at her desk:

1. Send a DOD notification that one of her former adopted National Guard units is going back to the Sandbox in the summer of 09 -- the 155th BCT from Mississippi.
2. Wait a few minutes until she has sufficiently calmed down.
3. Send her another DOD notification that her much-loved 48th BCT - the Georgia National Guard - is also going back in the summer of '09.

Crud.

OK, well, here we go again. *rolls up sleeves* We've got a year & a half or so before the summer of 09 gets here...plenty of time to start plotting and planning ways to extravagantly support them all again.... even better than last time, hopefully.

Get busy with the prayers, y'all.... can't have too many prayers, can't start too early.

Here's the DOD announcements I got today:

The Department of Defense announced today the alert of replacement forces
scheduled to deploy in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The announcement
involves three brigades from the Army National Guard consisting of approximately
8,000 personnel.

These brigades will have a security force mission and be assigned tasks which will assure freedom of movement and continuity of operations in the country. Those tasks will include base defense and route security in Iraq and Kuwait.

These units are currently scheduled to begin deployment in the summer of 2009. They are receiving alert orders now in order to provide them the maximum time to complete their preparations. It also provides a greater measure of predictability for family members and flexibility for employers to plan for military service of their employees.

Specific units alerted are:

32nd Brigade Combat Team, Wisconsin National Guard

41st Brigade Combat Team, Oregon National Guard

155th Brigade Combat Team, Mississippi National Guard

Unit deployments reflect the continued commitment of the United States to the security of the Iraqi people. The Department recognizes the continued sacrifices of these units and their family members.

* * *

The Department of Defense announced today that the 53rd and 48th Brigade Combat Teams have been alerted to deploy in support of Operation Enduring Freedom to continue ongoing operations and training of the Afghan National Security Forces.

The 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team is a National Guardunit from Georgia, and will concentrate on training Afghan National Security Forces. The 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team is a National Guard unit from Florida, which will assume battle space in Afghanistan, where it will perform the full spectrum of operations. Approximately 7,000 service members have been alerted and will deploy in the summer of 2009. The department has alerted the units of this deployment in order to give soldiers the maximum time possible to conduct training specific to Afghanistan as well as provide predictability for family members and employers.

This rotation reflects the continued U.S. commitment to assisting in the security of Afghanistan and the development of the Afghan National Security Forces. Afghan forces continue to improve capability and assume responsibility for security. Force levels in Afghanistan continue to be conditions-based, and are determined based on the recommendations of military commanders in Afghanistan and in consultation with the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.