BANGOR, Maine — Members of the Bangor-based 126th Army National Guard medevac unit — who are known as the “Black Bears” — will be leaving Maine for Kuwait in a couple of weeks, Capt. Shanon Cotta, spokesman for the Army National Guard, said Monday.
About 83 citizen soldiers have their deployment papers, he said. The unit’s sendoff ceremony will be held at 5 p.m. Friday at the University of Maine’s Collins Center for the Arts.
The men and women are trained in providing medical evacuation to injured patients using Blackhawk helicopters.
“This permits the rapid transport of seriously injured persons, particularly trauma patients, from the scene of an accident or battlefield,” Cotta said.
The Charlie Company unit commander is Maj. Mark Stevens, a 1987 Kennebunk High School graduate.
This will be the third overseas deployment to the Middle East for the Black Bears, Cotta said.
In 2003 and 2008, the unit provided medical air evacuation support in Iraq and Kuwait. In 2005, the soldiers mobilized to assist with Hurricane Katrina relief operations on the Gulf Coast, and in 1999 they deployed to Bosnia in support of NATO stability operations, participating in Operation Joint Forge, the captain said.
Once deployed, the 126th will more than double the number of Maine soldiers overseas in harm’s way, Cotta said.
“Currently, the Maine National Guard has 56 personnel deployed to Afghanistan and the Middle East, primarily from the 101st Air Refueling Wing and the 243rd Engineering and Installation Squadron,” the captain said.
The 101st — the MAINEiacs — are based in Bangor and the 243rd calls South Portland home.
Be safe! Thank You. I know you will your family, friends, neighbors and fellow Mainers proud!
Is there a war there ?
Who called out the National Gaurd ?
Who is paying for this ?It isn’t that I mind paying for it, so much but just not in my taxes. I think that in a real free market system it would be as a part of the cost of that chemical energy that I actually use.
Return home safe my friends.
Occupation is not victory.
I’d feel allot safer if they, and all the rest of our armed forces stayed right here in the USA.
I never understood why America’s National Guard was guarding someone else’s nation! Ditto for America’s Coast Guard. I can see using the Army Reserves etc but wasn’t the Coast Guard and National Guard originally supposed to protect us at home? Is this how we save money on our National Defense budget?
Another region of the world safe for investment, and its casualties.
As an old 11B from the Reagan days all I can say is ‘Thanks for being there folk’s’. Those of you who have served know what Dustoff means when you have someone bleeding out and you are in really deep ‘doo-doo’ and you got no way out. Dustoff is literally the only hope you have of getting home. For those who fly these mission’s, and keep going out to pull us in, our eternal gratitude. And to those of you who are constantly whining about these unit’s deploying I would suggest ever so politiely, if BDN can keep their Pollyana minds on what they are supposed to be doing, that before you complain you get into some deep ‘doo-doo’ and see who comes and gets you. MNG Dustoff has a Service-wide tradition of going out and just not stopping until ALL the wounded are brought out. That includes, sometimes, bringing their own back shot up as well. When you have to go thru that, then, and only then, do have the right to complain. Until then do the right thing and keep your trap shut !
This will cost one million dollars for each soldier deployed for a year. It won’t benefit the state one bit, it is more of a welfare program. This endless war syndrome needs to stop. What a waste of taxpayer money. 83 soldiers will go, with 56 Maine soldiers already in Afghanistan makes 139 or one hundred thirty nine million dollars a year $139,000,000 in expenditure, this is overpriced , it is welfare and does no good for the people in Maine. The DHHS budget needs help and we waste money on war. War is not the answer. It is far too expensive and a waste of resources. Wake up people.
Not the time or place for your rant
Not for you to determine, crzy.
I don’t agree, war is a bit… war is hell crazyvet as you evidently know. Trying to stop troops from going to crazyland is a noble effort with ‘honor and courage’ motto of the 8th cavalry. They are not going there for rest and relaxation but to obtain the gift that keeps on giving, post traumatic stress illness which will be passed on to their children and their wives and husbands. When is the right time for such a “rant”? as you call this. I call it reading the Riatt Act.
God Bless you all and keep you safe. Thank You for your service to our Country! It is Men and Women such as yourself who Volunteer and put yourself in harms way who are my Hero’s.
Have a safe deployment my friends. It is individuals such as yourself that make this country, the State of Maine, the National Guard great!!! You are truly above the best…..may god bless you all!!!
Is there not enough active duty personnel to cover this mission ? That’s when you know your leaders have failed miserably, when they send their reserves to frontline duty. It shouldn’t happen this way.