POWHATAN, Va. β The Virginia National Guard held a ceremony in Powhatan Monday to mark the overseas deployment of the 180th Engineer Company to the Horn of Africa.
Around 130 soldiers will depart from Virginia for the mission, where they will build up the landscape through new roads and facilities.
"Six missed phone calls," said Sergeant Hayden Payne of the moment his family found out he'd be heading overseas. "When I finally was able to make that phone call, you know, a barrage of questions, but just reassuring her, hey, it's gonna be alright. I'm in very capable hands. My leadership is phenomenal, they do their job very excellently. I'm proud to be a 180th soldier."
Since the early 2000s, the U.S. military has maintained a significant presence in the Horn of Africa to help counter violent extremism and create connections with Eastern African militaries.
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