Governor Martin O’Malley, on a U.S. Department of Defense-sponsored mission, traveled to Iraq this week where he is meeting with deployed Maryland soldiers and men and women of the Maryland National Guard on active duty in Iraq. The Governor’s two-day mission comes at the request of U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, whom Governor O’Malley met with on Thursday, Feb 25 at the Pentagon before leaving for Iraq. The Governor also visited with service members at Walter Reed Army Medical Center before departing from Andrews Airforce Base to Kuwait, via a refueling stop in Europe, and on to Iraq.
“I’m honored to be representing the people of Maryland here in Iraq, and have the opportunity to tell our troops know how much we appreciate what they do and how much we support them,” said Governor O’Malley on a conference call with reporters. “The optimism and sense of focus that I’ve seen from all of the soldiers I’ve been fortunate to interact with is truly inspiring.”
Governor O’Malley joined Governor Culver of Iowa on the mission. As Commanders-in-Chief of their respective state’s National Guard divisions, these periodic visits by Governors are designed to show unified support and appreciation for the nation’s troops serving in Iraq.
While in Iraq, Governor O’Malley visited with Maryland-based Army Reserve A Company of the 323 Military Inteligence Battalion, as well as members of the Maryland-based Army Reserve 392 Expeditionary Signal Battalion, Task Force Raven. Later, both Governors O’Malley and Culver shared a barbeque dinner with service members from Iowa and Maryland.
More than 20,000 Marylanders have deployed since the attacks of September 11, 2001 as active duty troops of all branches and components of the Armed Forces. There are currently 26 members of the Maryland National Guard deployed to support Operation Iraqi Freedom. In 2007, Maryland’s 58th Infantry Brigade Combat Team mobilized and deployed to Iraq in what was the largest deployment of combat Soldiers since World War II.
Of those who deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan or Kuwait, 114 Marylanders have died, 87 of them in active theater in Iraq. Five of these were Maryland National Guard Soldiers who died as a result of operations in Iraq.
Photo: Courtesy of the Office of Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley
