Alaska Army National Guard Lt. Col. Luke Bushatz, commander of 1st Battalion, 297th Infantry Regiment, speaks to family members, friends, and fellow Guardsmen who came together to pay tribute to Soldiers of Bravo Company, 1-297th, during a deployment ceremony at the Alaska National Guard Armory on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Sept. 29, 2023. Approximately 100 Soldiers are deploying to the Middle East for nine months in support of Operation Spartan Shield. (Alaska National Guard photo by Balinda O’Neal)