CASPER (WNE) — The Wyoming National Guard’s 2nd Battalion, 300th Field Artillery Forward had a special guest for Thanksgiving dinner. 

U.S. Sen. John Barrasso traveled out of the country to celebrate Thanksgiving with the first full battalion deployment in over 70 years to conduct a field artillery mission in the Middle East, sharing a meal on Thursday with troops serving in the United Arab Emirates and in Kuwait. 

“Hundreds of Wyoming’s finest soldiers are bravely serving in the United Arab Emirates and in Kuwait in one of the largest overseas deployments of Wyoming service members,” Barrasso said in a news release. “These soldiers are a long way from home defending our nation and our freedoms. Each of them makes Wyoming proud, and I made sure to let them know how grateful folks back home are for their service. It was an honor and privilege to visit with and share stories of their families and our great state with these brave men and women.” 

More than 360 Wyomingites are serving in the Middle East, according to Barrasso’s office, with 23 hometowns represented in the UAE and 40 hometowns represented in Kuwait. 

In a YouTube video, Barrasso is shown holding a Wyoming state flag and shouting “Powder River, Let ‘Er Buck!” with soldiers in both countries, talking with soldiers at the dinner table and touring both bases. 

Barrasso also held a town hall with troops at both bases and was briefed by military officials on Middle East operations, according to the release.