HARTFORD, Conn., - Maj. Gen. Thaddeus J. Martin, Adjutant General and Commander of the Connecticut National Guard, announces that Detachment 2, Company I, 185th Aviation Regiment of Groton, is mobilized and will deploy to the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt to support the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO).

The unit’s mission will be to provide an on demand aviation asset to the MFO commander in support of the mission to supervise the security provisions of the Egypt / Israel Peace Treaty. The unit will also provide the means for the observers to have an aerial view of the area of interest and to conduct personnel and cargo movements between area base camps as well as Cairo and Tel Aviv.

This unit operates C-23C Sherpa aircraft and has deployed three separate times in the last seven years in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

The unit departed Connecticut earlier today for Ft. Benning, GA, for further training and validation.

This aviation unit is commanded by Chief Warrant Officer Four James Smith of Ivoryton, Conn.