Oregon Guard’s overseas commitments wind down toward pre-war levels

With the return to the United States this month of two Oregon National Guard units — a 176-person company of engineers and a 21-man platoon of unmanned aerial vehicle operators — the state’s commitment to wars in the Middle East is approaching its lowest level of the last decade.

“It’s coming to a historic low,” said Capt. Steve Bomar, the Oregon Guard’s chief spokesperson. When a military police unit returns late next year, he said, the state’s overseas commitments will be at their lowest levels since Sept. 11, 2001.
Oregon Live reports the start of the stand down in Iraq. This is the issue that is forcing the current push for sUAS in the NAS by defence contractors. The private sector is no longer represented at the talks though as Patrick revealed earlier this month.

Part of the reason for the decline is driven by the exit of U.S. troops from Iraq. For 21 Oregon National Guard soldiers, that means they’ll be home for Christmas, instead of in Iraq or somewhere else through next May.

“For the most part, everybody is ecstatic,” said Chief Warrant Officer Three Mark Braeme, from Fort Hood, Texas, where he and the rest of his unmanned aerial vehicle platoon is outprocessing. A few might have wanted to serve their entire year, but when they were told they could be home with their families instead, they said “Roger, that’s way better,” Braeme said.