In a heartwarming act of international camaraderie, a Ukrainian delegation made their way to the Evergreen State to extend a handshake of gratitude to the Washington National Guard. Led by Ruslan Kravchenko, the head of the Kyiv Regional State Administration, the visitors made it their mission to personally acknowledge the Guard's pivotal role in supporting Ukraine's military efforts back in 2021. Kravchenko voiced his appreciation, saying, "We know your unit deployed to Ukraine in 2021 to help our military and we want to take this time to thank them for their support of the people of Ukraine," as per the Washington Military Department.
The trip wasn't all handshake and thank-yous, however, with Kravchenko, playing the dual role of regional Ukrainian governor, putting pen to paper alongside Washington Gov. Jay Inslee to seal deals that promise a future of economic and academic partnerships. Tacoma, not to be left out, has buddied up with Brovary, Ukraine, in a Sister Cities arrangement, establishing a cross-continental bond that hopes to blossom into mutual prosperity.
It was at Camp Murray where the Ukrainian guests and National Guard leaders delved into the bygone days of the 81st Stryker Brigade Combat Team's deployment. From April to December of 2021, these Guard members were comrades-in-arms with Ukrainian forces, engaged in the Joint Multinational Training Group - Ukraine mission. Their contributions were no drop in the bucket; over 100 Guard members from the 81st SBCT headquarters were neck-deep in efforts to train, equip, and provide doctrinal assistance to their Ukrainian counterparts.
But time waits for no one, and as the Washington Guard members were received into their homes’ warm embraces in January 2022, Russian forces loomed like winter clouds over the Ukraine border, before unleashing their storm in February. Brig. Gen. Ken Borchers of the Washington National Guard put it into perspective: "We had Guard members working with your Ukrainian armed forces members to help teach them how to use the weapon systems that they are now utilizing and having success with," he recounted, in a tell-all to the Washington Military Department.
During their time at Camp Murray, one member of the 81st SBCT shared anecdotes of the early stages of the war, recounting phone calls received to troubleshoot and set up equipment – calls made possible only after jumping through the hoops of Department of Defense clearance. It was this kind of over-the-wire assistance, offered post-deployment, that bridged the gaps of distance and continued to bolster the Ukrainian resolve from afar.
