The Nevada Army National Guard’s 1864th Medium Transportation Company held a deployment ceremony on November 9 at Sierra Vista High School in Las Vegas.
The unit is preparing to deploy later this fall to Europe, where it will support U.S. European Command’s initiatives to reinforce NATO’s eastern flank.
The upcoming mission, titled Operation European Assure, Deter and Reinforce, centers on maintaining the flow of supplies and equipment to American forces stationed across the continent. By securing these logistics lines, the Nevada-based company plays a specific role in the broader U.S. strategy of regional deterrence.
“Without transportation, supplies don’t reach the fight,” said Brig. Gen. Randy Lau, the land component commander of the Nevada Army National Guard. “Equipment doesn’t get where it needs to be, and combat formations cannot sustain their operations. You are not simply moving equipment; you are enabling combat power.”
The 1864th Medium Transportation Company has a long history of logistics operations. The unit was activated in October 1996, with its numerical designation chosen to commemorate the year Nevada was admitted to the Union during the American Civil War.
During its 2004 deployment to Iraq, the company faced direct threats, logging millions of miles and participating in 65 separate engagements with enemy forces. Later, during the 2009–2010 drawdown, the unit completed over 300 missions, earning the Meritorious Unit Commendation for its performance.
These overseas experiences are complemented by rigorous domestic training, such as the 2017 transit of munitions over the Donner Pass, which tested the unit’s ability to maintain logistics chains under severe winter conditions.
The deployment returns the unit to an international theater. At the same time, there is nothing more rewarding than deploying overseas,” said Capt. Kristopher Hayman, the company commander.
