CHEYENNE, Wyo. – Governor Dave Freudenthal visited Wyoming National Guard troops and other active duty U.S. personnel serving in Kuwait and Iraq while on a trip sponsored by the Secretary of Defense.

“We have a greater number of our National Guardsmen deployed right now than at any other time – nearly one thousand soldiers and airmen – and I welcome the opportunity to go where they are serving to make sure that they know how much all of us back home in Wyoming support them and appreciate what they’re doing for their State and Country,” Freudenthal said.

Freudenthal is joined on the bipartisan trip by three other governors: Haley Barbour of Mississippi, Ted Kulongoski of Oregon and Sonny Perdue of Georgia.  According to Col. Jeff Cashman of the U.S. Air Force, the three states also have a significant number of Guardsmen deployed.  The governors are accompanied by Brigadier General Tim Kadavy, the deputy director of the Army National Guard, and other military and federal officials.

“I appreciate getting to see firsthand where our folks are serving and what their mission is,” said Freudenthal.  “When I get back home I hope to be able to reassure their families that our country and our
military leaders are doing their best to ensure that they are as well cared for as possible, under the circumstances,” he said.

The trip, which began on Monday, included a Pentagon briefing and a visit from Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates.  Gov. Freudenthal encouraged Wyomingites to drop the troops a line, send them a care
package and remember them during the holidays.

“Wyoming has been sending its National Guard soldiers and airmen on overseas deployments literally since the first month of my first term in January, 2003, and they have been serving continuously, many have deployed more than once and in more than one theater,” Freudenthal said.  “It won’t be possible for me to visit each and every person from Wyoming, but I hope to see as many as possible, to shake their
hands and tell them ‘thank you’ personally,” he said.

For information on adopting a solider please contact the Wyoming National Guard’s Yellow Ribbon Program at 307-772-5262.  More than 700 Wyoming Soldiers deployed in April and are currently serving in Kuwait and Iraq.

Freudenthal, in his time as governor, has extended the Military Members Compensation Committee; provided for the retention of wages, group health insurance, deferred compensation and accrued annual leave for soldiers placed on active duty; and worked on the Wyoming Military Assistance Trust Fund, which assists military families in times of need.