MI National Guard member from Grand Rapids completes Task Force Flint mission

LANSING, Mich. --

Pfc. Devon Capman a resident of Grand Rapids and a member of Company C, Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Michigan National Guard, concluded his state active service assignment with Task Force Flint on April 13, 2016. Capman was an important part of the Guard support effort to distribute drinking water and other supplies to Flint residents. The Guard support effort began in mid-January this year.

Company C, BSTB is a signal company whose mission is to provide forward-base deployable command and control communications, supporting a brigade combat team and their subordinate units, to include: voice, data and video communication capabilities. Capman is a relatively new member of the unit.

“When the leadership asked for volunteers to serve on the task force I stepped forward without a single thought about how long I would be in Flint or what exactly I would be doing. The details really didn’t matter to me, I just wanted to help,” Capman said.

Capman and 10 other Guard members, who also concluded their task force service April 13th, will be awarded the Michigan Active State Service Ribbon with bronze oak leaf device which signifies more than 30 consecutive days of service. The recognition will be presented by his unit commander and will be recorded as a distinctive honor in his military service record.

As part of the state action plan for Flint recovery, Michigan Guard members will gradually be transitioning all water distribution site management and operations to Flint residents. A specific timeline has not been set for the transition however; the Guard will remain in place until the resident run pod program is fully operational.

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