Nearly 400 Wisconsin National Guard Soldiers alerted for possible active duty

Nearly 400 Wisconsin Army National Guard Soldiers in the 724th Engineer Battalion received alert notifications recently for possible mobilization to active duty in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Affected Soldiers are part of the Headquarters Company in Chippewa Falls, Company A (Forward Support) in Hayward, the 273rd Engineer Company (Sapper) in Medford and 950th Engineer Company (Clearance) in Spooner and Superior.

The alert notification directs the units and their Soldiers to begin preparing for a possible order to active duty. If these units are actually mobilized, affected Soldiers would expect to be on active duty for about 12 months. All Soldiers in the newly alerted units haven been notified of the possible mobilization.

The 724th Engineer Battalion last mobilized to Iraq in March 2003 to July 2004 where they provide engineer support to coalition forces. Two subordinate units of the 724th are currently deployed. The 829th Engineer Company (Vertical), with units in Chippewa Falls, Richland Center and Ashland are deployed with the 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team in Iraq. And the 951st Engineer Company (Sapper) is currently deployed to Afghanistan supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Since Sept. 11, 2001, every unit in the Wisconsin National Guard has deployed Soldiers and Airmen in support of the global war on terrorism. There are currently about 3,700 Guard members on active duty in Iraq, Afghanistan and several other places around the world. However, the Guard's remaining 6,500 members are ready in Wisconsin and fully capable of providing support anywhere in the state or nation.