The Kentucky National Guard’s 623rd Field Artillery Battalion will soon embark on a mission to train foreign military units across the Middle East.

Family, friends and 300 members of the battalion attended departure ceremonies across the state Saturday, including one held at Glasgow High School for the local “Headquarters Headquarters Battalion.”

Major General Haldane Lamberton, adjutant general over the Kentucky National Guard, said the battalion will train friendly foreign units in Jordan, Syria, Kuwait and Iraq on High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS.

“Your soldiers are some of the experts who are going to be sharing their knowledge with their likeminded brothers and sisters with other military forces,” Lamberton said.

Operation Spartan Shield, which encompasses the 623rd’s deployment, aims to maintain regional alliances through joint exercises. The 623rd will join Task Force Spartan, a multi-component organization that has carried out the operation since 2017.

Lamberton clarified the deployment is roughly two years in the making and is not related to the current conflict in Israel and the Gaza Strip.

He added that the support of families and communities like Glasgow are critical to the success of any mission.

“That’s really what gives us strength,” Lamberton said.  “It’s the identity with the community we come from. It’s the support of the families and the other community members from which we come.”

Alexander Vanhoose, HHB commander, said it was a bittersweet day as they say goodbye to those who came to support them.

By chance, it was also his birthday, though having spent the last four birthdays on orders means he’s familiar with feeling.

“I live in the eastern part of the state so I had to say goodbye (to family) before I came down here Wednesday,” Vanhoose said. “Now my family has come here, so I thought I was out but now I’m not, so there’ll be some sadness, especially it being my birthday.”

Vanhoose enlisted in 2015 and has served as a commissioned officer since 2018, coming from a family with veterans from World War II, Korea and Vietnam. He said despite the thought of leaving, the camaraderie of the battalion makes him “happy to be there.”

“I get phone calls from numerous people that just want to talk and take care of everything and do all that,” Vanhoose said. “We’re friends outside, we’re friends at drill and I couldn’t enjoy it more. It’s a great unit.”

Vanhoose said the battalion will finalize training in Texas before they begin sending groups over to replace active Task Force Spartan members.

Gov. Andy Beshear in pre-recorded remarks said the work of the Kentucky Guard in serving victims of tornadoes in western Kentucky and flooding in eastern Kentucky make them “the best National Guard in the entire country.”

“Our soldiers and airmen have shown up in strength, delivering food and water, helping families find their loved ones and performing life saving rescue missions,” Beshear said. “You all demonstrate the Parable of Good Samaritan because you, our heroes, know that everyone is our neighbor.”