Thursday, Sep. 24, 2020 –
FOR RELEASE: Thursday, Sep. 24, 2020
CONTACT:
Regarding the unit: CONG Public Affairs Office, 720-250-1053, ng.co.coarng.list.militarysupport@mail.mil
CENTENNIAL, Colo. – Army Space Support Team 30, comprised of Colorado National Guard Soldiers from the 117th Space Battalion, will be honored at a deployment ceremony 2 p.m., Sep. 24, 2020.
A small, socially-distanced group of family, friends and dignitaries will gather to bid farewell to the six-member team as they prepare to depart for the Middle East to support U.S. Central Command operations.
“These Colorado Army National Guard space professionals are providing a space capability critical to the warfight,” The Adjutant General of Colorado U.S. Army Brig. Gen. Laura Clellan said. “I am proud that they have maintained their strategic readiness and have volunteered to deploy during a global pandemic.”
Army space support teams are small, highly trained and specialized teams that enable operations by maximizing military use of space-based assets to include satellite imagery, missile warning systems, satellite communications, space-based weather, and global positioning system capabilities for combatant commanders.
During this deployment, ARSST-30 will perform a variety of important missions in defense of our nation and coalition partners. The Soldiers will play an important role in defeating adversaries by providing direct support to warfighters on the ground in the USCENTCOM area of responsibility and will play a key role in the strategic deterrence of regional state actors against American and coalition forces and interests in the Arabian Gulf region.
Since 9/11, the 117th has provided regular space support to joint warfighting headquarters during overseas contingency operations. The 117th is the only unit of its kind in the Army National Guard.
The unit’s capabilities have also served in support of incident commanders during emergency response operations such as the Spring Fire during 2018 and the West Fork Complex Fire in 2013.
The Colorado Army National Guard’s ARSST-24 team deployed to the Middle East in January 2020.