Idaho Guard Unit Should be Home in February

IDAHO GUARD UNIT SHOULD BE HOME IN FEBRUARY

Governor C.L. "Butch" Otter announced today that members of the Idaho National Guard's 1-183rd Aviation Battalion will soon leave Afghanistan and should begin returning home to Idaho in February.

The 183rd includes 265 soldiers from throughout Idaho. They will begin arriving at Fort Hood, Texas, early next month, concluding an 18-month deployment that included almost 12 months in Afghanistan supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

The battalion's work in Afghanistan included providing aerial gunfire support from AH-60 attack helicopters for troops conducting ground operations, as well as medical care to the local population.

While at Fort Hood, soldiers will complete the processing necessary for release from active duty. They also will receive information on benefits and services available to them as veterans. Once processing is complete, they will return home to Idaho.

"If the demobilization timetable stays as now scheduled, we are hopeful that most of our soldiers will be back in Idaho before the end of February," said Major General Larry Lafrenz, Commanding General of the Idaho National Guard.

"I join all Idahoans in expressing tremendous pride in the men and women of the 1-183rd, and their important contribution to fighting terrorism and tyranny on the other side of the world so we need not face it here at home," Otter said. "The families of these deployed soldiers also have our continuing support and gratitude for their sacrifice during the deployment. It will be great to have our brave troops back home in Idaho!"

http://gov.idaho.gov/mediacenter/press/pr2007/prjan07/pr_006.html

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