Tiffin Guard ordered to overseas tour of duty

10/29/2004

TIFFIN - For the first time since the Korean War, an Ohio Army National Guard unit from Tiffin is being called up for active duty overseas.

Bravo Company, 612th Engineer Battalion, will leave Nov. 13 for Camp Atterbury in Indiana. From there, the unit will be deployed overseas, said Capt. Jeff Gillmor, company commander. He said he could not discuss the unit's manpower or details of its mission, other than to say that he expects the company to be deployed overseas for a year.

Heidelberg College will host a farewell ceremony for the soldiers, their families, and well-wishers at noon Nov. 12 in Seiberling Gymnasium. Citizens can gather along South Washington Street at 9 a.m. on Nov. 13 to see the troops off.

Captain Gillmor said the company was told in April to plan for an overseas mission. "We've been on alert for a while, so soldiers have had plenty of time to get their personal affairs in order and get their families prepared, so at this point, everybody is ready to go," he said.