This Friday, 22 May 2026, marks the final RED Friday before Memorial Day. As our communities prepare for a weekend of tribute and reflection, the core mission of RED Friday—Remember Everyone Deployed—takes on a deeply solemn weight.
For the service members currently standing the watch across the globe, this upcoming weekend is not a standard holiday. It is a time when our deployed troops will be remembering fallen comrades, carrying the memories of brothers and sisters lost in service, while separated by thousands of miles from their own families. The military families left behind will face a quiet, bittersweet weekend, missing this solemn day of remembrance with their loved ones. Yet, the sacrifice of this distance builds an enduring legacy; when these service members eventually return home and observe future memorial days, they will never forget their time away from home, nor the absolute value of the freedoms they protect.
Here is the current status of our operational forces as we head into this significant week of remembrance.

Connecticut Deployment Status

Our state’s personnel remain heavily engaged in global operations, with hundreds of Connecticut National Guardsmen currently within active deployment cycles.

• 192nd Military Police Battalion: Headquartered in East Granby, approximately 150 soldiers from the HHC, 192nd MP Battalion deployed to the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility. They departed from Bradley Air National Guard Base to support Operation Epic Fury, providing vital mission command, logistical support, and security operations.
• 143rd Regional Support Group: Based out of Hartford, soldiers from this unit remain forward-deployed to the Middle East, sustaining critical operational support for ongoing regional stability initiatives.
• Recent Returnees: The state continues to support the integration and well-being of the 66 members of the Waterbury-headquartered 143rd Combat Sustainment Support Battalion following their successful European theater rotation.

National Deployment & Homecoming News

Beyond our state borders, U.S. forces continue to see high operational tempos, marked by historic extensions and vital maritime security missions.

• USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group (CSG 12): On 16 May 2026, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth welcomed home the sailors of the Ford Strike Group at Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia. The crew completed a grueling 326-day deployment—the longest U.S. aircraft carrier rotation since the Vietnam War. Their mission spanned multiple theaters, including drug interdiction operations in the Caribbean and critical deterrence operations under Operation Epic Fury in the Middle East. Guided-missile destroyers USS Bainbridge and USS Mahan also returned as part of the strike group, which was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation.
• USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77): The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier remains actively deployed, having recently entered the CENTCOM area of responsibility to maintain naval presence and safeguard critical international shipping lanes.
• 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit & USS Tripoli (LHA 7): Forward-deployed amphibious forces continue maritime verification and security operations in the Arabian Sea and wider Middle East, conducting recent helicopter and roping sustainment training to maintain peak response readiness.

A Note on RED Friday: Wearing red this Friday is a simple, visible promise that those serving in harm’s way are never forgotten. As we approach Memorial Day, let that red garment also signify our profound gratitude for the families who navigate these solemn days with an empty chair at the table.