Guard deploys to Africa

By Staff, 01/2/17 10:44 AM

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HOPE – Members of the Arkansas National Guard deployed from the Deloney-Cook armory in Hope Sunday, heading to the Horn of Africa.

According to Brigadier Commander Mike Spraggins, Bravo Co., sent around 100 guardsmen to the Horn of Africa to do security work and train locals for the host nation. This deployment will last about a year, with the soldiers returning, hopefully, in time for Christmas 2017.

Families and friends gathered at the armory on New Year’s Day, a wet and dreary start to 2017, to send the soldiers off. There were plenty of hugs, kisses and tears as preparations were made for the guard to get underway.

It’s never easy for families to be separated during the holidays, and Sunday was no exception. However, he could have been worse. Spraggins said the initial deployment was scheduled during Christmas, but was delayed to allow the soldiers to spend the holiday with their families and loved ones.

Hempstead County Sheriff James Singleton and deputies with the Hempstead County Sheriff’s Office escorted the trio of buses to the Texas line via I-30 once all the goodbyes had been said and everything was loaded onto the buses.

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