Deployment ceremony set for 2-300th soldiers

WORLAND – The Wyoming Army National Guard will be saying goodbye to the soldiers in the 2nd Battalion, 300th Field Artillery on May 8 at 4:30 p.m. before their deployment to the Middle East.

The ceremony is open to the public. It will take place at the Natrona County High School in Casper.

Governor Mark Gordon, Major General Greg Porter and the Wyoming Army National Guard command team will be attending the event.

Recently, it was announced that at least 14 soldiers from the Big Horn Basin will be among those deployed.

At least 14 soldiers from Thermopolis, Worland, Lovell, Powell and Greybull will be deploying with the 2nd Battalion, 300th Field Artillery in May.

There are six soldiers from Worland, including Wes Short.

Short has been enlisted with the Wyoming Army National Guard for six years. This will be his second deployment. His deployment may last anywhere from six to 16 months.

In order to prepare, soldiers have been going through training, vigor training and have been working harder, according to Short.

Short says he’s excited to be deployed and said it’s fun to do.

Short joined the military because he said it “felt like something he’d enjoy,” and because it was a new experience with multiple benefits.

Short has lived in Worland his entire life. He’s the son of Rob and Deb Short and the brother of two sisters – Savanna and Desiree. He’s the only one of his family to be in the guard.

Deployed soldiers will be performing military missions as part of forces that were assigned to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. Their first stop after leaving Cheyenne will be Fort Bliss, Texas, for additional mobilization training.

This will be the sixth time unit members have been deployed since Sept. 11, 2001.

Other deploying soldiers will be from Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah and Washington, along with the Wyoming communities of Buffalo, Casper, Cheyenne, Douglas, Dubois, Evansville, Gillette, Glenrock, Greybull, Guernsey, Kelly, Lander, Laramie, Lovell, Manderson, Moorcroft, Pavillion, Powell, Riverton, Sheridan, Shoshoni, Sundance, Torrington and Thermopolis.

The Northern Wyoming News is willing to publish the names of other Big Horn Basin soldiers who are being deployed. Due to regulations, names of soldiers are not released by the military, but can be released by the soldiers themselves. Call the NWN at 347-3241 or [email protected].