Oklahoma's Top National Guard Soldier Visits Afghanistan

NewsOn6.com

LAGHMAN PROVINCE, Afghanistan – Oklahoma's adjutant general Major General Myles Deering and Command Sgt. Major Steve Jensen recently visited Oklahoma National Guard soldiers in Afghanistan.

During that visit, Deering thanked soldiers at several different Forward Operating Bases and Combat Out Posts and assured them that Oklahoma was proud of them and supports them.

"The visit was tremendous," said, Myles Deering. "It was great seeing all the leaders and soldiers out in the forward operating bases and the combat outposts."

Deering and Jensen also visited with battalion level and company level commanders with the 45th IBCT area of operations as well as a visit to the 1st Battalion, 279th Infantry.

"I was surprised he came out to meet with us," said Spc. Jason Barrow, of Tulsa, and a member of Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 279th Infantry.

Barrow grew up in Sand Springs and initially started out in the Army Reserves, moved to Florida and then moved back to Oklahoma to join the Army National Guard.

Barrow was one of the nine Soldiers with 279th Infantry awarded the Combat Infantry Badge by Deering.

The Combat Infantry Badge is awarded to U.S. Army infantrymen who have participated in combat operations in a theatre of war.