Atlanta mayor deploying to Afghanistan

Atlanta Mayor Travis Ransom has managed to successfully juggle his duties to the city with his Army Reserve responsibilities during his three years in offce. However, that will soon be impossible, as he will be deploying to Afghanistan right after Thanksgiving.

The 23-year Army Reserves veteran will be the Battalion Command Sergeant Major of the 321st Expeditionary Military Intelligence Battalion in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel (OFS). OFS is part of a NATO mission that conducts counterterrorism operations targeting terrorist groups like al Qaeda and the local ISIS affliate. OFS also conducts a train, advise, and assist mission to build up local Afghan security forces.

Atlanta Mayor Pro-tempore Dean McDuff will step in to run city council meetings in Ransom’s absence. Ransom expects to spend up to nine months overseas.

“This is an historic time to deploy as we face uncertainty around the globe,” Ransom said. “Deploying in the middle of a pandemic, during a presidential election, and while peace talks with the Taliban are ongoing, adds additional complexity to the mission. One thing that is certain is that the American Soldier is ready to go when the nation requires it, and to get the job done with professionalism, despite external influences.”

Besides being mayor, he is an insurance agent for Offenhauser and Company in Atlanta. He and his wife, Emily Lestock Ransom, are raising their children Coyt, 22; Lucy, 12; and Anna, 8 on historic Hiram Street in Atlanta. Travis graduated from Atlanta High School in 1996 and attended Texarkana College and Texas A&M - Texarkana.

As a Counterintelligence Agent in the Reserves, Travis has been called upon to go to many places. His uniform bears no combat patches or Tour of Duty stripes, but don’t mistake the fact that he was also in the trenches, albeit in plain clothes with only a single handgun, blending in and speaking the native languages.

Ransom’s service follows a long family tradition of military service with relatives serving in almost every major conflict dating back to the American Revolution.

“My dad was a Retired Lieutenant Colonel, and any man I’ve ever known that was worth their salt was in the Army,” said Ransom.