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A Company 1-153rd Returns From Operation Spartan Shield

Arkansas National Guard Public Affairs Office

April 6, 2024 | 1:47

CAMP JOSEPH T. ROBINSON, NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Nearly 100 Arkansas National Guardsmen assigned to Alpha Co., 1-153rd Infantry Battalion, 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, returned here April 6 after an 11-month deployment to Southwest Asia in support of Operation Spartan Shield.

The Guardsmen served as a quick-reaction force to help respond to emergencies and potential threats throughout the region. Operation Spartan Shield builds partner capacity in the Middle East to promote regional self-reliance and increase security among partner nations.

“These Guardsmen have served their state and nation with honor and distinction,” said Maj. Gen. Jonathan Stubbs, Arkansas’ adjutant general. “Being away from one’s family and loved ones is never easy, and we appreciate their sacrifice and service to do their part to help keep our nation safe. We also appreciate the steadfast support of their employers, and their family members who sacrificed while they were away.”

The Guardsmen departed Arkansas for their mobilization station at Fort Bliss, Texas, on May 26, 2023. They returned to Fort Bliss for demobilization on March 25, 2024.