By Steve Huffman
shuffman@salisburypost.com
Members of the 991st U.S. Army Reserves Transportation Co. are about to be re-deployed to the Middle East, and they’re holding a farewell ceremony Saturday.
The public is invited to what promises to be the bittersweet event at the Reserve Center at 1835 Jake Alexander Blvd.
The ceremony starts at 9 a.m. and will continue until about 12:30 p.m.
Members of the 991st returned from their last Middle East deployment in April 2004. As is always the case, exactly where members will be stationed and what they’ll be doing on this deployment remains a secret.
“As far as what their mission is, no, we’re not allowed to tell,” said 1st Sgt. Ella Griffin, a spokeswoman for the 991st. “The mission of the unit is to haul supplies.”
Griffin said the 991st will leave early Sunday morning for several weeks of training at Fort Atterbury, which is about 40 miles south of Indianapolis, Ind.
After that training, the 991st will be deployed to the Middle East. All the unit’s 170 members are allowed to say is that they’ll be stationed in either Kuwait or Iraq.
They’ll be involved in the ongoing support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Members of the 991st are from North Carolina, Tennessee, Florida, Mississippi and Louisiana.
Griffin said Saturday’s festivities will include music and a send-off from Salisbury Mayor Susan Kluttz. Griffin said Food Lion is sponsoring a luncheon for members of the 991st, their families and anyone else interested in attending the ceremony.