Flags fly to honor 196th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade deployment
By:
Staff report
Jill Meier/BV Journal
Brandon VFW members posted the flags along Holly Boulevard Saturday to honor the 196th MEB’s deployment.
The red, white and blue waved proudly Saturday, as Brandon VFW Post 4726 members decorated Holly Boulevard with its line of U.S. Flags.
VFW Commander Rick Vanden Hoek said the flags were put up to honor a request from family members of the soldiers with the South Dakota Army National Guard’s 196th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade being deployed. The 196th MEB will deploy to Djibouti to support Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa to conduct operations in the region that enhance partner nation capacity, promote regional security and stability, dissuade conflict and protect U.S. and coalition interests.
A deployment ceremony was held Friday at the Sioux Falls Arena for more than 190 soldiers serving with the 196th MEB.
Their mission is to command and control assigned units and support the security, mobility and functional operations of forces in a designated region.
The unit will first report to Fort Hood, Texas, to complete several weeks of theater-specific training prior to deployment overseas.
