Major Scott Desormeaux of the Nation Guard explained to the Abbeville Rotary Club that the 256th Infantry Brigade is made of different battalions throughout Louisiana.

Desormeaux, along with other members of the 256th, recently returned to the United States after spending almost a year in Iraq.

It was Desormeaux’s second tour in Iraq.

The Abbeville native explained that the brigade has battalions in Abbeville, Shreveport, New Iberia, Alexandria and other cities.

The unit in Abbeville is an infantry battalion that is made up of sub units throughout south Louisiana. New Iberia, Jeanerette, Houma, Franklin and Abbeville make up the sub-units.

“This is what makes up the Second Battalion of the 256,” said Desormeaux. “It is

confusing.”

Desormeaux said the 256 Brigade had 4,000 out of the 50,000 Army troops in Iran or close to 10 percent of the force.

He explained to the Rotarians what the mission was for the 256th and how it changed from the previous time they went a few years ago. He said the Second Battalion soldiers protected supply and military trucks going in and out of the military bases.

“There was an average of 30,000 vehicles that came through the base each week,” he said. “We supplied security so that goods could move freely.”

Other Second Battalion soldiers, including his son, Adam, did guard duty at the visitor’s bureau.

“The second battalion had two diverse missions,” he said. “It was military police type work. Security.”