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Local Army Reserve Brigade prepares for deployment

  • Published
  • By Army Sgt. Allyson Parla
  • 77th Sustainment Brigade Public Affairs
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. --  More than 200 Army Reserve Soldiers, family members and guest from New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania participated in a deployment ceremony at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Sunday. Headquartered at JB MDL, the 77th Sustainment Brigade has been slated to be the last Army Reserve sustainment brigade scheduled to deploy in support of Operation New Dawn upon completion of its training.

Once in-theatre, the unit will assume control of all logistical support for units currently in theater providing food, fuel, ammunition, transportation and other logistical support to forces still serving in Iraq.

The ceremony was hosted by Col. Stephen J. Falcone, 77th SB commander and Command Sgt. Maj. Nagee Lunde, Brigade Command Sgt. Maj. with Brig. Gen. Peter S. Lennon, 316th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) commander officiating. The 77th SB is one of seven brigades that make up the 316th ESC.

The 77th SB stood up on JB MDL in Sept. 2008 after the deactivation of the 77th Regional Readiness Command and has been training since Sept. 2010 for its current mission

The 77th SB traces it's roots to the former 77th Infantry Division which fought valiantly in World War I and World War II. Known as the "liberty warriors", the 77th continues the historical legacy of the division by wearing the "Statue of Liberty" patch on the left sleeve.

During Sundays' ceremony, Falcone said, "The intent of today's ceremony is to show families and Soldiers that we're in a phase in our mobilization and deployment where we're now saying goodbye. We are saying goodbye to family and friends and casing our colors."

As part of the ceremony, the 77th cased their historical colors for all to see. The colors will be un-cased upon arrival in theater.

Falcone, a native of Massachusetts, is a civilian employee of the Department of the Air Force at Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass. He is deploying to Iraq for the first time. He was commissioned through the Army ROTC program at the University of Rhode Island in 1983. He is a graduate of the U.S. Army Signal Officer basic and advanced courses. He also completed Command and General Staff College.

In attendance was Congressman Jon Runyan, (R-Mount Laurel) of New Jerseys' third congressional district. Runyan represents Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in the U.S. House of Representatives. He is a member of the House Armed Services and Veteran Affairs Committees. Other attendees included Maj. Gen. Glenn K. Reith, Adjutant General of the New Jersey National Guard and Col.(P) Gina Grosso, Commander, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst and 87th Air Base Wing .