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Kentucky Guardsmen Deployed to Afghanistan are Visited by Their General

Dec. 24, 2010 | By kentuckyguard
Part two of the command and morale visit of Maj. Gen. Edward W. Tonini, the adjutant general for Kentucky, and key members of his staff to Bagram, Afghanistan. Click here to see part one. KEH Story and pictures by Lt. Col. Kirk Hilbrecht, Director of Public Affairs, Kentucky National Guard. BAGRAM, Afghanistan (Dec. 9, 2010) – Maj. Gen. Edward W. Tonini, the adjutant general for Kentucky, and key members of his staff visited Kentucky Guardsmen deployed to Afghanistan during a command and morale trip in early December. Early in the morning, Tonini continued the tradition of watching a hometown Kentucky basketball game with deployed troops. [caption id="attachment_4701" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="BAGRAM, Afghanistan – Maj. Gen. Edward W.Tonini, the Adjutant General of the Kentucky National Guard, and members of his staff visit deployed members of various Kentucky Guard units in December 2010. Following a tradition of watching a hometown Kentucky basketball game with deployed troops, Tonini and Kentucky Guardsmen cheered the Wildcats on to victory against Notre Dame. (Photo by U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Kirk Hilbrecht, Director of Public Affairs, Kentucky National Guard) "] Tonini ate a specially-catered breakfast with Kentucky troops from the Agribusiness Development Team, 2123rd Transportation Company and 123rd Airlift Wing. “Next to their Families; there is nothing else that can generate the excitement and passion more than Kentucky basketball,” Tonini said.  “Like last years’ visits with Kentucky Guardsmen in Kosovo and Kyrgyzstan, the opportunity to watch the beloved Wildcats seems to be a huge treat with our troops.”   [caption id="attachment_4708" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="BAGRAM, Afghanistan – Maj. Gen. Edward W.Tonini, the Adjutant General of the Kentucky National Guard, presides over the Combat Action Badge ceremony for members of the 2123rd Transportation Company from Richmond, Ky., Dec 9. (Photo by U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Kirk Hilbrecht, Director of Public Affairs, Kentucky National Guard)"] After breakfast, Tonini and his staff met Kentucky troops at the headquarters of Richmond Kentucky’s 2123rd TC. Tonini awarded the Combat Action Badge to more than a dozen members of the unit who recently were engaged in an area where hostile fire or danger was imminent. The 2123rd transports supplies and materials via main supply routes on the ground to various forward observation bases throughout the Afghan theatre. “The 101st Airborne Corps asks for us by name when selecting units to conduct supply runs to forward outposts and bases,” said Capt. John F. Moore, commander of the 2123rd TC. [More pictures of Adjutant General Tonini's visit with the 2123rd TC can be found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kyngpao/sets] More than 180 members of the 2123rd TC deployed to Afghanistan in February in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. [caption id="attachment_4711" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="BAGRAM, Afghanistan – Members of the Kentucky National Guard deployed to Afghanistan hold a banner made by well wishers from back home."]

While visiting each Kentucky unit, Tonini presented a “Light Up Louisville” Christmas card and scrolled-holiday message with signatures from hundreds of Louisville well-wishers. The banners were hung in the troops’ work areas as reminder of the support they receive from back home.

Tonini and his staff visited more than 500 deployed Kentucky Guard Soldiers and Airmen while in Afghanistan. As Tonini and his staff departed Bagram, 47 Airmen from the 123rd Civil Engineering Squadron arrived in Afghanistan to begin their combat tour (story previously reported at: http://tinyurl.com/28adcrf). “I am certain these great Airmen will provide the same level of Unbridled Service to their commanders as have these magnificent Soldiers and Airmen we visited during our short trip” said Tonini.

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