Community Corner

Guardsmen Return Home to Cumming

Families greet soldiers at airport.

Story and photos by Maj. Will Cox
Georgia Army National Guard

Soldiers from the Georgia Training Support Team (GTST) III returned from 12 months in the Country of Georgia (COG) to open arms of family members and fellow service members Tuesday. 

The GTST III is a detachment of 19 Guardsmen out of the 560th Battlefield Surveillance Brigade stationed in Cumming. These Guardsmen provided drivers training and basic life support needs (medical support, food, water, linen, building maintenance, information technology, etc.) to the camp where they and U.S. Marines trained COG Soldiers for a deployment to Afghanistan.

Find out what's happening in Cummingwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“I loved working with the Georgians and the Marines. We prepared the Georgians for operations in Afghanistan and I am proud of that,” said Sgt. Erik Davis Motor Team Sgt. GTST III. “It was hard work every day, I loved it but I am glad to be back.”

The drivers training included classes on driving and maintaining High-Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWV) and classes on driving and maintaining Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles. The U.S. Marines trained the COG Soldiers to perform Counter Insurgency Operations in Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Find out what's happening in Cummingwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“It is always good to welcome back Georgia National Guardsmen from a deployment. The National Guard currently has about 1,000 Guardsmen deployed around the globe in support of operations in countries like the Country of Georgia, Germany, Afghanistan, and Qatar,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Roy Marchert of the 560th BFSB. “This is one of the best parts of my job, being able to thank these heroes and their families for their service and sacrifice.”

Family members stood by at the top of the escalator in Atlanta Hartsfield Airport to hug their Guardsman prior to taking them home. This team is individually returning back from their mission and will form up in 30 days for their first of three reintegration training events.

“I am looking forward to getting my son home and cooking his favorite meal,” said Becky Sherman, mother of Sgt. Brad Sherman, GTST III Medic. “We are proud of his service are glad to see him.”

You might also be interested in reading:


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here