On Monday at the State Armory, the Connecticut Army National Guard held a send-off ceremony for 40 members of the 192nd Engineer Battalion.
The Stratford-based unit is expected to take off in a few days to support Operation Freedom’s Sentinel.
“This will be my first deployment to Afghanistan,” said Captain Nichole Giunto.
Giunto along with others on the team will help oversee clearing roads of everything from trees to explosives, making it safer for others to pass.
Giunto’s husband – Justin – is also a guardsman and will stay home this time.
“Obviously I don’t want her to go. But I know she’ll be safe. She’s going with a lot of good people,” said Captain Justin Giunto.
Among those in the group: Sergeant Ryan Gilbert. He works in Manhattan and saw the memorials last week on the anniversary of 9/11.
Local
“You felt it when you walked by, guys that lost their lives in the Trade Towers that were firefighters, you saw the flowers, it’s like wow. This is still going on. This is still real. You have a certain respect to go over there, do a great job. So their sacrifice wasn’t for nothing,” said Gilbert.
The group is expected to return in about a year.
Back in May, the company also jumped to help clear roads in our state after powerful storms caused extensive damage.
