Students among guard unit deployed to Iraq

UW-Madison officials are passing along well-wishes to the Wisconsin National Guard 32nd Infantry Brigade, as the unit prepares to begin its mission in Iraq.

Pictured with Chancellor Martin are senior Ryan Gries (left), Company B, 2nd Battalion, 127th Infantry Regiment; sophomore Gerald Kapinos (second from left), an Air Force veteran and president of the Vets for Vets student organization; and Bryan Brunken (right), Troop C, 1st Battalion, 105th Cavalry.

Among the 3,200 members of the group are 14 UW-Madison students.

The unit is expected to ship out from Fort Bliss, Texas, to Kuwait in the next two weeks. From Kuwait, the unit will enter Iraq in March or April.

Campus officials met with student-soldiers in December to discuss the challenges of the upcoming deployment in terms of academics, military training and their personal lives.

“The entire campus community wishes the Wisconsin National Guard 32nd Infantry Brigade a safe deployment in Iraq,” says Chancellor Carolyn “Biddy” Martin.

“I’m honored that I had the chance to meet two students, simultaneously serving in the guard and as UW-Madison students,” she adds. “While they are away serving our country, we’ll be doing everything we can to make their eventual return as smooth as possible.”

UW-Madison has recently enhanced its services for student veterans with additional focus on coordinating benefits as well as lessening the impact of rapid deployment, separation, re-entry and relocation.

Retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. John Bechtol, who had directed the university’s Army ROTC program from 2004–08, was recently appointed to the new position of assistant dean for veterans and ombuds services.

UW-Madison has an estimated 650 student-veterans on campus, along with another 210 ROTC cadets.