Tennessee’s Adjutant General visits troops in Poland

SZCZECIN, Poland - Major General Max Haston, Tennessee's Adjutant General, and Commander of the Tennessee National Guard, recently visited troops of the 230th Sustainment Brigade working in Poland as part of Operation Anakonda 16. The 230th, headquartered in Chattanooga and Smyrna, is on its second rotation in support of the exercise. The unit has supported the operation since the beginning of May and the last soldiers will return home around mid-July.

The 230th is providing mission command for subordinate units arrayed across six locations in Poland and Germany. Currently, the 230th is in the process of retrograding and redeploying units and their equipment back to their home station. The personnel and equipment must be moved to air, rail and seaports of debarkation, accounted for, and prepared for redeployment. Tactical vehicles used by the units must go through a series of wash points and pass customs inspection before being loaded on ships for return to the US. The coordination and scheduling of the various logistics, personnel and health service support functions is part of this units “complex and diverse mission".

Maj. Gen. Haston was briefed on the current mission status by the 230th Brigade commander, Col. Steve Barney. After the briefing, Haston visited troops in four different locations in Poland to observe training and see the soldiers in action. “The soldiers of the 230th are doing a fantastic job here. The port operations are difficult but the 230th continues to succeed in their mission. I am so proud of this unit.” Haston said.

Gen. Haston ate lunch with the soldiers in the Polish operated dining facility, eating traditional Polish cuisine. Upon completion of the visit, Gen. Haston expressed his gratitude to the soldiers as well as Col. Barney, and re-iterated how proud he was to be their Adjutant General. He told Col. Barney “this unit represents everything that is good about the Tennessee National Guard, keep up the good work”

Story by: Lt. Col. Joe Hollister

 

Maj. Gen. Max Haston, Tennessee's Adjutant General, talks with Soldiers of the 230th Sustainment Brigade supporting Operation Anakonda 16 near Szczecin, Poland. Pictured from left, CW4 Eddie Bell, Col. Jimmie Cole, MG Haston and Col. Steven Barney, 230th Commander.