The National Guard Bureau has informed Maj. Gen. Lee Tafanelli, the adjutant general of Kansas, that due to changing mission requirements, the mission of the 891st Engineer Battalion to West Africa has been cancelled.

Our Soldiers were willing to go, said Tafanelli, but its a fact of military life that missions can and do change. The Department of Defense reduced the mission requirements, so there was no longer any need for an engineer battalion headquarters and forward support company.

Tafanelli was informed of the cancellation during a conference call Dec. 3. All Guardsmen originally assigned to the mission have been notified.

I have no doubt that if we are ever assigned similar missions, our Guardsmen will respond to the call and serve with distinction, said Tafanelli.