News

James Siuzdak (second from left) and 44th IBCT HHC Protection Team at Erbil Air Base, Iraq.

By Eric Kowal

PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J. – James Siuzdak, recently returned stateside from a near year-long deployment with the New Jersey Army National Guard’s (NJARNG) 44th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (IBCT), the largest deployment of New Jersey Army National Guard Soldiers since 2008.

Attached to the IBCT’s 104th Brigade Engineer Battalion, Capt. Siuzdak was one of more than 1,500 NJARNG Soldiers who deployed on Jan. 26, 2024, in support of U.S. Central Command’s Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve. The Soldiers advised, assisted, and enabled partnered forces until they can independently defeat Islamic State of Iraq and Syria – ISIS – in designated areas of Iraq and Syria.

When he’s not performing his Guard duties, Siuzdak is an employee of the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) Armaments Center. Coming from a family with military service in its blood helped pave the way for Siuzdak to make the decision to also serve his country. With an uncle and grandfathers on both sides of the family being veterans — and having one older brother who previously served in the New York Police Department and another serving as a volunteer fireman — Siuzdak felt compelled to put on a military uniform.

“All three of us wanted to give back to our communities and be a part of the civil service positions,” he said reflecting on his brothers’ service. “Having that family history definitely played a part in my decision to join the military.”

In theater, Siuzdak served as the Brigade Force Protection Antiterrorism Officer, where he was tasked with developing plans for force protection, and advising leadership on real world conditions.

“My skillset as antiterrorism officer directly supported that mission,” Siuzdak said. “I would assess protection and defense measures based on threats we were seeing and mitigate those through measures that we could implement.”

The deployment, Siuzdak’s first, came after having more than six years’ experience in the antiterrorism field.

“When I put the uniform on, I am in a ‘business mindset’ so to speak and I put my nose to the grindstone,” he said. “I wanted to do the best that I could so I soaked up as much knowledge as I could from the team around me, some of whom were on their fourth and fifth deployments.”