FORT DIX, NEW JERSEY, UNITED STATES –
Approximately 150 Soldiers from the 990th Engineer Company began their overseas mobilization with a departure ceremony at the Jonah E. Kelley Army Reserve Center located at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst January 6, 2025.
Capt. Joseph D’Antuono, commander of the 990th Engineer Company, began the ceremony by addressing the Soldiers and their families about the upcoming mobilization. Once his remarks were completed, Maj. Gen. Matthew Warne, commander of the 412th Theater Engineer Command and Command Sgt. Maj. Ryan Bodmer, senior enlisted leader each provided keynote remarks to the audience.
“We are ready. Our leaders are ready. We are going to protect our force. We are going to do the right thing every day, and it takes vigilance every day. You’re counting on them, and I am counting on them,” said Warne. “Our other services, not just the Army, are counting on them to do great work."
“Whatever your job is, whatever your function is, and whatever it is to take care of your Soldiers on the left and right, take care of them first because you are family and one team,” said Bodmer. “You have to be really smart about the professional arts in our business and conduct our warrior tasks.”
The event was concluded with D’Antuono and the company’s first sergeant, 1st Sgt. Randall Rhyne, by furling their organizational colors to signify the official start of the mobilization. They will unfurl the colors when they arrive in the Middle East and officially take responsibility for their mission.
“Today is a culmination of 18 months of Soldiers getting ready, honing their skills, making sure they are prepared to meet the mission they are expected to complete,” said D’antuono. “The past few months we have been building up our team and I am 100 percent confident we have the right people to accomplish the mission.”
The 990th will provide vertical construction support to units across U.S. Central Command’s area of responsibility. The company consists of construction tradesmen such as plumbers, carpenters, masons, and electricians. They will provide maintenance and construction expertise to sustain facilities across the AOR.
After the conclusion of the ceremony, Soldiers were released to their families for a last lunch together. The following day, the 990th traveled to Fort Bliss, Texas, their mobilization site where they will finalize their training and conduct administrative tasks before departing overseas.
“We have an excellent command team, excellent platoon leaders, platoon sergeants, and squad leaders. This team is ready to go. We are going to knock it out of the park. Safety is our number one priority,” said D’Antuono.
The ceremony was originally scheduled for the installation’s theater but was moved to the reserve center due to winter weather. The company was able to adjust their plan to accommodate a packed building for all their guests and families.
The 990th Engineer Company provides vertical construction and facility maintenance support to enhance the operational readiness and sustainability of forward-deployed units. This includes constructing, repairing, and maintaining essential infrastructure such as barracks, command posts, medical facilities, and other mission-critical buildings. The 990th ensures units operating in austere environments have the facilities necessary to support command and control, logistics, and quality-of-life functions.