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Staff Sgt. Dominic Kelley of Augusta’s 120th Regional Support Group of Maine Army National Guard stands near photos of members of the guard’s 136th Engineer Vertical Construction Company during a sendoff ceremony Friday at the Augusta Civic Center in Augusta.

A sendoff ceremony for the Maine Army National Guard’s 136th Vertical Construction Company, a unit split between Skowhegan and Lewiston, was held Friday at the Augusta Civic Center.

The unit is deploying to Saudi Arabia and will support Operation Spartan Shield with construction, electrical work, masonry and other mission-focused capabilities.

Gov. Janet Mills and Brig. Gen. Diane Dunn – the adjutant general of the Maine National Guard – spoke at the ceremony.

Maine Gov. Janet Mills speaks Friday during a send off ceremony for members of the 136th Engineer Vertical Construction Company of the Maine Army National Guard at the Augusta Civic Center in Augusta.
Mariah Cornelison of Harpswell holds her daughter Berit Cornelison, 2, during a sendoff ceremony Friday for the girl’s father, Sgt. Robert Cornelison, and 130 other members of the 136th Engineer Vertical Construction Company of the Maine Army National Guard at the Augusta Civic Center in Augusta. The unit is split between Lewiston and Skowhegan.
Members of the 136th Engineer Vertical Construction Company of the Maine Army National Guard stand at attention Friday as family members and friends photograph and watch the start of a sendoff ceremony at the Augusta Civic Center in Augusta.
Sgt. TJ Johanson, a member of the Maine Army National Guard 136th Engineer Vertical Construction Company, holds his son Odin Johanson, 3, of Wales, at the close of a sendoff ceremony for the unit Friday at the Augusta Civic Center in Augusta. Also shown is TJ Johanson’s son Isaiah LaBrecque, 9, left, and Johanson’s mother-in-law, Sara LaBrecque, at the right. The 130-member unit is being deployed to Saudi Arabia. The unit, which is split between Lewiston and Skowhegan, will support Operation Spartan Shield with construction, electrical work, masonry and various other mission-focused capabilities.
Members of the 136th Engineer Vertical Construction Company of the Maine Army National Guard stand at attention Friday as family members and friends photograph and watch a send-off ceremony at the Augusta Civic Center in Augusta.