Senators Collins, King Announce that the 133rd Engineer Battalion Will Remain in Maine
WASHINGTON, D.C.— U.S. Senators Susan Collins, a member of the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee and the Senate National Guard Caucus, and Angus King, a member of the Senates Armed Services Committee, announced this afternoon that the 133rd Engineer Battalion will remain based in Brunswick, Maine.
“I am so pleased to learn that the Army National Guard 133rd Engineer Battalion will stay in Maine. This is the right decision for the great state of Maine and for our nation. The 133rd Engineer Battalion conducts operations that increase military effectiveness, including general engineering tasks in support of state and federal missions,” said Senator Collins. “During my discussions with Lieutenant General Kadavy, the Director of the Army National Guard, in October 2015, and my recent travel to U.S. European Command, it could not be clearer how important the National Guard is to Maine and to enabling national security missions overseas. I look forward to continuing to work to ensure that our National Guard, and their important missions and programs, are adequately resourced and ready to respond when called upon to do so.”
“The 133rd Engineering Battalion is a vital asset to Maine, and I am relieved it will remain in the state,” Senator King said. “During my time as Governor, I relied on the 133rd many times, most significantly in the aftermath of the Ice Storm of 1998. The battalion’s skill, professionalism, and versatility unquestionably saved lives then, and, it continues its important work today, supporting various missions in Maine and throughout New England. I’m pleased the 133rd will continue to call Maine home and that we will continue to be able to drawn upon their extensive experience when necessary.”
On October 23, 2015, Senator Collins met with Lieutenant General Timothy Kadavy, the Director of the Army National Guard. During the meeting, Senator Collins and LTG Kadavy had a good discussion on the 133rd Engineer Battalion.
The 133rd was established in November 1970 and has been serving the great State of Maine and our nation ever since. This unit is capable of performing a myriad of missions including building roads, airfields, and buildings; clearing routes; and providing other assistance during emergencies. Members of the battalion have also deployed on a number of occasions, including to Iraq in 2004-2005 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom II.
The battalion has also been essential when called up to assist with domestic operations that have helped our communities and, most importantly, saved lives. Some examples include:
- Helping clear roads and rebuild after the ice storm of 1998 which wiped out electricity and infrastructure in Maine;
- Responding to the 2006 flood in York County and the Patriot’s Day storm of 2007, providing aid to Maine residents in the area;
- Providing aid out of state following Hurricane Irene and Superstorm Sandy in 2012; and
- Supporting the State of Massachusetts last winter when the state was hard-hit by snowstorms by clearing train terminals and assisting various towns with clearing main streets and pedestrian walkways to ensure safe passage.
