More than 100 New York Army National Guardsmen from the 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team deployed July 15 to train Ukrainian soldiers, whose own country is still combating the Russian invasion that began in February.
The 140 New York Guard soldiers will first complete additional training at Fort Bliss, Texas, before replacing 160 Florida Guard soldiers in Germany. The Florida Guard forces deployed in November 2021 and currently are representing the U.S. within the Joint Multinational Training Group-Ukraine.
The New York Guardsmen are expected to take control from the Florida Guard’s 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team this September.
“United States military units support the training to strengthen relationships and affirm the United States’ commitment to European partners,” a press release from the Army stated. “Army National Guard brigade combat teams provide the main support to the Joint Multinational Training Group-Ukraine mission in nine-month rotations as part of the Army’s rotational model.”
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Initially posted at the Combat Training Center-Yavoriv near Lviv, in western Ukraine, U.S. soldiers were pulled back to Germany just before Russia invaded Ukraine in late February.
Armed forces from Canada, Lithuania, Denmark, Poland, Sweden and the United Kingdom have also been involved in training Ukrainian troops.
This will be the second time New York Guard soldiers have been deployed to train Ukrainians. Back in 2017, roughly 220 New York Guard soldiers headed by a team from 2nd Squadron, 101st Cavalry, spent 10 months in Ukraine.
The Joint Multinational Training Group-Ukraine mission has been active since 2015, following the 2014 war between Russia and Ukraine that saw Crimea officially split from Ukraine.
Rachel is a Marine Corps veteran and a master's candidate at New York University's Business & Economic Reporting program.
