More support in Pierre

[unhappycamper]

More support in Pierre
By Crystal Lindell
Capital Journal Staff
Monday, September 10, 2007


PIERRE - As part of a national transformation of the National Guard, a new Pierre-based unit officially was activated Sunday.

The 152nd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion will have 460 soldiers, 76 of whom will be headquartered in Pierre. The unit also will have subordinate units in Sioux Falls, Flandreau, Milbank, Aberdeen and Mitchell.

"The thing I'm looking forward to more than anything, is you have the ability to build and develop something," said Lt. Col. Andy Gerlach, who will be in charge of the 152nd. "I have the honor of being the first commander, so I can take a lot of the lessons that I've learned and build that team."

Overall the National Guard is moving away from large division-based groups to smaller units so soldiers can be deployed in smaller groups, a press release from the South Dakota National Guard states.

All of the 76 Pierre-based soldiers already have been deployed overseas and returned at least once, Gerlach said

As part of the transformation, Pierre now will have nine full-time soldiers, which is about five more than they had before. Also, all of the 76 soldiers headquartered in Pierre will come to the area for drill on a monthly basis.


Rest of article: http://www.capjournal.com/print.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=2&ArticleID=18024&TM=47460.67


uhc comment: The 'transformation' caught my eye. The NG home age ( http://www.arng.army.mil/default.aspx ) didn't say anything about 'transformation'. Have any of you seen or heard of the NG 'transformation'?