200 National Guard members receive sendoff at Cleveland HS ceremony

RIO RANCHO — Packed with people and feeling a little bit stuffy, the Cleveland High School gymnasium might have felt like a typical Friday afternoon student pep rally, but it was instead a chance for the families of 200 men and women of the New Mexico National Guard to say goodbye before their loved ones deploy overseas.

The ceremony was the second in the state last week before the Guard sends 400 New Mexicans to Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti, Africa, the U.S. military’s only permanent base on the continent, for up to 10 months. The base was the subject of a recent audit following a whistleblower complaint over the military leaders’ failure to mitigate poor air quality.

While on deployment, the Guard members will support Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa, which “conducts operations to enhance partner nation capacity, promote regional stability, dissuade conflict, and protect U.S. and partner interests,” according to the task force’s website. Hank Minitrez, a spokesperson for the New Mexico National Guard, said he could not provide the Observer more information on the Guard members’ mission, citing security reasons. He said the Guard members are at Ft. Bliss in Texas for final processing before departing for the Horn of Africa.

Instead, it was focused on the Guard members and their families. Of the 400 Guard members being deployed, 42 hail from Rio Rancho, two are from Bernalillo, and another two are from Corrales, according to a spokesperson for the New Mexico National Guard.

“You’re doing something that our nation needs; we don’t take that lightly,” Brig. Gen. Nathaniel Carper, deputy adjutant general of the New Mexico National Guard, said during Friday’s ceremony.

Carper added, “The sacrifice we were asking families to make is not new.”

He was referring to the peacekeeping mission to Sinai, Egypt, in 2012, the last time the New Mexico National Guard saw such a large deployment.

Lt. Col. Sergio Hands, taskforce commander, said the work of his soldiers who “take pride in serving a higher purpose” would not be able to do so without the love and support of their families.

“Thank you to the families and everyone who is supporting us. We will do you proud,” Hands said. “Our nation has called us to serve, and we are ready to answer that call. We prepared for months for this, and now it’s time.”

Officials like Rio Rancho Mayor Hull and New Mexico Sen. Jay Block, R-Rio Rancho, also spoke.

“That is a huge sacrifice,” said Hull, who noted he did not serve in the military. “That’s a sacrifice I’ve never been asked to make. I’ve never had to ... because we have the brave men and women of the New Mexico National Guard that are always willing to answer the call pay it forward ... so we can enjoy (our) freedoms on a daily basis right here in Rio Rancho.”

But Block, a U.S. Air Force veteran who served in Afghanistan, said he is familiar with the work that the Guard members will do.

“There are going to be days when you’re going to have stresses back home, but there is not much you can do for families back here,” Block said. “Pray every day and contact your families every single day. Tell them, ‘Mom, Dad — I’m OK; I’m doing great.’”

Members of the Guard did not speak during the ceremony, but two of them tied a yellow ribbon around a tree as a symbol to support the military. The tree will remain at the National Guard Readiness Center with the yellow ribbon tied to it until the soldiers’ return home.

Guardsman Rick Lucero, who also serves as an officer with the Rio Rancho Police Department, said in an interview that the upcoming mission will be focused on peacekeeping. He could not provide more details, citing operational security.

“It feels really good to be here,” Lucero said. “(The ceremony) means a lot for our community to come together, all as one, to send us off.”

He added: “The call to service means everything to me; it’s what I signed up for.”

Lucero said he will not forget the community of Rio Rancho while he is overseas.