CHEYENNE — Governor Mark Gordon and First Lady Jennie Gordon spent the Thanksgiving holiday with members of three Wyoming Army National Guard units deployed overseas.
The Governor and First Lady were joined by Wyoming Adjutant General Maj. Gen Gregory Porter and State Command Sgt. Maj. Command Sgt. Harold Pafford on the five-day trip, which saw them visit soldiers in Kosovo and the Middle East.
“I was thrilled to have the opportunity to personally thank our service members for their work in ensuring the safety and security of those of us back home” Governor Gordon said. “I understand that this can be a challenging time of year for our soldiers to be separated from their families. Jennie and I wanted to let them know that the sacrifices they and their families are enduring are not going unrecognized.”
The first stop for the Governor and First Lady was Kosovo, where they spent the day visiting with soldiers from C Company, 1st Battalion, 297th Infantry Regiment. The following morning they flew to Kuwait. The Governor took part in a promotion ceremony for several soldiers that was led by the General for soldiers in the 2nd Battalion, 300th Field Artillery.
“This unit scored extremely well on readiness,” Governor Gordon noted. “Everyone was incredibly proud of the way Wyoming soldiers performed.”
The Governor and First Lady spent the final day of their trip sharing a Thanksgiving meal with deployed soldiers from the 115th Field Artillery Brigade.
“Both Jennie and I were honored to have the opportunity to be with our soldiers on Thanksgiving, as we wanted them to know how much the people of Wyoming were thinking of them,” Governor Gordon said.
More than 300 Wyoming National Guard soldiers are deployed overseas during the holiday season.
Press release from the office of Governor Mark Gordon.