This is the largest single deployment of the Connecticut National Guard since 2009. Six hundred members of the Connecticut National Guard are preparing to ship out to Africa. Nearly 600 soldiers boarded a plane and headed to Texas before going to Africa where theyâll be assisting with an ongoing mission. Theyâve been battling the pandemic in Connecticut and now theyâre facing another challenge. âJust over a year ago, the same unit was helping with the hospital surge capacity building additional capacity at Central and at Southern,â said Major Gen. Francis Evon, Adjutant General and Commander. From one mission to the next, the National Guard soldiers with the 1-102nd Infantry have had a busy year battling COVID and their job isnât done yet.