Governor, First Lady Welcome Home Guard Aviator

Statement

Gov. Jack and First Lady Betsy Dalrymple this evening welcomed home four soldiers from the North Dakota National Guard's Detachment 42 Operational Support Airlift. Two other soldiers from the unit also arrived this evening in Grand Forks and Fargo. The Guardsmen deployed to Afghanistan earlier this year in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and arrived at Fort Hood, Texas Nov. 6, where they completed their demobilization processing.

"The members of Detachment 42 prepared extensively for this mission and completed it with great proficiency and success," said Gov. Dalrymple. "This highly specialized unit did an outstanding job providing aerial surveillance and support for military members on the ground. We are proud of all they accomplished on behalf of our nation and grateful to them and their families for their extraordinary service and sacrifice."

While in Afghanistan, the Bismarck-based unit operated King Air 300 aircraft equipped with Medium Altitude Reconnaissance Surveillance System platforms to provide aerial surveillance and ground support. They served alongside other fixed-wing detachments from Arkansas, Maine, New Mexico, Puerto Rico and Utah. This was the unit's third deployment in support of the Global War on Terrorism.

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