The Indiana National Guard will host a departure ceremony on race day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for about 600 soldiers, including seven from Columbus, who are deploying to Kuwait.
The ceremony will be at 10 a.m. Sunday — just hours before the drop of the green flag for the 103rd running of the Indianapolis 500.
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb, Gen. Michael X. Garrett, the U.S. Forces Command commander and Maj. Gen. Courtney P. Carr, Indiana National Guard adjutant general, will speak during the ceremony.
The deploying soldiers are part of the Indiana National Guard’s 38th Infantry Division and are deploying in support of the U.S. Army Central Command’s Task Force Spartan.
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Task Force Spartan is “a unique, multi-component organization, made up of active Army and National Guard units, rounded out by U.S. Army Reserve support units,” according to the U.S. Army’s website. The Indiana guardsmen will be in command and control of more than 9,000 U.S. troops stationed in the area, the National Guard said.
“(The purpose of the task force) is to strengthen the defense relationships we have over there and build partner capability,” said Sgt. First Class David Bruce, public affairs officer for the Indiana National Guard’s 38th Infantry Division. “It’s all facilitated with partner capability and humanitarian assistance.”
Lt. Col. Steven Slaughter, 52, is one of the seven soldiers from Columbus who will be deploying to Kuwait. He said it will be fourth time that he has deployed since 2003, including tours of duty in Iraq in 2003 and 2008 and Afghanistan in 2017.
Slaughter, who joined the Indiana National Guard in 1992, said serving the United States abroad gives him a “great sense of pride,” and he is looking forward to mentoring some of the younger soldiers who are deploying for the first time.
“Everyone in our formation joined after Sept. 11. They know it is a possibility that they can deploy, and they still join. Everyone knows we could have the call to go overseas. They’re ready to step up to the plate and do what they need for their nation and their state.”
“This time around, I’m deploying with the children of soldiers I deployed with in 2003,” he added.
Though this is his fourth deployment overseas, Slaughter said he has never had a departure ceremony like the one scheduled for Sunday just before the Indianapolis 500 — potentially in front of some 400,000 race fans and a national television audience.
He said he expects the ceremony to be “overwhelming, but much appreciated.” Typically, departure ceremonies only include close family and friends, he said.
“It’s just going to be outstanding,” Slaughter said. “It’s just going to show the younger soldiers the strong support they have from our country and state. A send-off of that magnitude, it’s going to be emotional for all of us.”
Sgt. Jeremiah Buzzard, 31, a Columbus native and 2006 graduate of Columbus East High School, also is deploying on Sunday. Buzzard lives in Trafalgar and works as a technician at Camp Atterbury.
Buzzard said he had previously deployed to Iraq in 2008. One of the most difficult parts of being deployed is spending time away from family, he said.
“You have to be able to handle being away from your family,” said Buzzard, who has three sons. “You have limited communication with your family. You have to balance family life and fulfill your mission and get the mission done and completed.”
Buzzard, who said he joined the Indiana National Guard 14 years ago because he wanted to “learn skills to protect the people I love,” said he is looking forward to the ceremony at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and is glad to have the support.
“The support that we get means the world to soldiers,” Buzzard said.
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Visit in.ng.mil for more information about the Indiana National Guard.
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