Soldier puts his life on hold, Jenkins included in historic deployment

Skylar Jenkins, a 2021 Newcastle High School graduate, recently deployed with his Wyoming National Guard unit to the Middle East. The occasion was historic, for the entire Second Battalion, 300th Field Regiment, of which Jenkins is a member, deployed together for the first time in 70 years. The last deployment of the entire battalion was for the Korean War.

Jenkins joined the Guard in 2019 when he was 17 and has been pursuing a degree in welding technology at Gillette College. He most likely would already be finished with his degree had the COVID pandemic not kept him at basic training longer than anticipated, and he was offered the chance to forgo the deployment so that he could finish his studies.

Jenkins’ parents, Jason and Kim, say they are proud of their son’s selflessness.

“(Him) putting his life on hold for the greater good — you can’t give him enough credit for that,” Jason said. “His deployment came up, and he had the option to … not go and (to) complete college, but he said it was his duty to serve. So he put his college on hold and (went) to Kuwait.”

Jenkins has given his parents other reasons to be proud. For instance, he was recently promoted to sergeant.

The battalion Jenkins belongs to is a high-mobility artillery rocket system, or HIMARS, battalion. With his promotion in title, Jenkins also received a new role. He is now the gunner for the HIMARS he is assigned to and is responsible for running its computer and communication systems.

“It’s something he’s passionate about,” Jason said of his son’s military service.

Jenkins tour of duty will last roughly a year.

“Some of (his tour) will be stateside, (but the) majority will be overseas,” Jason said of his son.

Gov. Mark Gordon visited each battery in the state to give the soldiers a farewell send-off. It was on July 30 that Gordon visited Gillette for the send-off of Jenkins’ unit, Alpha Battery.

After his tour, Jenkins plans on resuming his studies.