This action follows an agreement between the Departments of the Army and Air Force and the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs, and with the approval of Governor James E. McGreevey, Commander-in-Chief of the New Jersey Army and Air National Guard, Brigadier General Glenn K. Rieth, the state’s Adjutant General, issued the order to begin preparations for the mobilization.

The 5-117th has a total assigned strength of 450 ground troops with units stationed at armories in Dover (Morris County), West Orange (Essex County), Woodstown (Salem County) and Vineland (Cumberland County) but only 150 (approximately) will be placed on active duty to provide additional manpower capability to meet the nation’s security needs.  All non-aviation members of the unit will participate in the 7 days of mandatory training known as Soldier Readiness Processing.  The focus of this training will be concentrated on preparing every National Guard soldier in the Cavalry for the realities of an extended deployment.

Following the completion of the pre-mobilization training, Lieutenant Colonel Michael V. Shute of Quinton, New Jersey, the Squadron Commander, will make the final determination as to which of his troops will be deployed.  This would be the largest mobilization of Army Guard troops since the Persian Gulf War more than 10 years ago.

Headquartered in Vineland, New Jersey, the 5th Squadron has a majority of troops serving in tank, mortar, and scout units.  The Squadron utilizes the M1 Abrams Main battle tank, 81mm mortars mounted in M-113 armored personnel carriers, and a variety of rotary wing aircraft (helicopters) to provide rapid deployment / combat capability.

The Guard’s Family Support program has been activated to help families cope with the absence of any soldiers mobilized.  The New Jersey Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve Committee (NJESGR) also will have personnel available to assist Guardsmen and their civilian employers address any complications that arise from extended military service.  

Typically, Guardsmen and Reservists are required to participate in mandatory military training for one weekend per month and for 15 days of Active duty training each year.  Following the terror attacks against the World Trade Centers and the Pentagon however, more than 1,700 citizen-soldiers from the New Jersey National Guard were placed on state and federal active duty to provide additional security at the Hudson River bridges and tunnels, area airports, the two nuclear facilities, and other key infrastructure throughout the state.  Garden State Guardsmen were again placed on alert in anticipation of additional terrorist activity in the weeks surrounding the first anniversary of September 11th.