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Homecoming and deployment recognition scheduled for Iowa National Guard Unit on Friday

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August 16th, 2018 by admin

A community homecoming and deployment recognition ceremony for an Iowa Army National Guard unit based in Waterloo will be held at 10:00 a.m., Friday, August 17, at the Waterloo Army Aviation Support Facility, 2245 W. Big Rock Road north of the Waterloo Regional Airport. Civilian officials and Iowa National Guard leadership will participate and the public and media are welcome and encouraged to attend this ceremony.

Approximately 35 Soldiers with Detachment 1, Company C, 2-211th General Support Aviation Battalion were mobilized in August 2017 as part of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel (OFS), Afghanistan. These Soldiers traveled to their mobilization station at Fort Hood, Texas for additional training before deploying to the Afghanistan theater of operations. The unit operated throughout Afghanistan before returning to Iowa in July 2018.

Det. 1, Co. C, 2-211th GSAB provides aerial medical evacuations (“medevac”) via UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters, supplying medical service and support for patients en route to combat support hospitals. The unit provided 28 point of injury (MEDEVAC) missions, 41 transfers and tactical evacuation missions and transported a total of 133 patients while flying nearly 900 total flight hours.

The unit, created in 2005, is comprised of the former Troops D, E and F of 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry, all of Waterloo.  In 2008, the unit was mobilized for Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom in support of overseas contingency operations. They completed federal active duty in Afghanistan and Iraq and returned to Iowa in July 2009. The unit was again mobilized from June 2012 to June 2013 for Operation Enduring Freedom, Afghanistan and returned to Iowa in June 2013.

For more information about the Iowa National Guard go to: www.iowanationalguard.com. Be sure to “like” us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/IowaNationalGuard and follow us on Twitter @IowaNatGuard and Instagram @IowaNationalGuard for the latest Iowa National Guard news.