Dalrymple Welcomes Home Guardsmen Following Yearlong Deployment to Kosovo

Press Release

Gov. Jack Dalrymple today joined military and community leaders, family members and friends in welcoming members of the North Dakota National Guard's Company C, 2nd Battalion, 285th Aviation Regiment back home to North Dakota. The unit is returning from a yearlong deployment to Kosovo, where the soldiers supported an international peacekeeping mission. About 40 Guardsmen are returning on various commercial flights today and tomorrow to Bismarck, Fargo, Grand Forks and Minot.

"We are so proud to welcome home the members of the 285th Aviation Regiment following their successful peacekeeping mission in Kosovo," Dalrymple said. "They performed an important mission supporting the U.S. and NATO Forces and played an integral role in conducting peace support operations in Kosovo. We are grateful to these soldiers and their families for their exemplary service to not only our state and nation, but to our world."

The 285th Aviation Regiment operated Black Hawk helicopters as part of the Kosovo Forces, or KFOR, 18 Aviation Task Force in support of the U.S.-led Multi-National Battle Group East. The soldiers provided air transport for U.S. and NATO Forces, including training and assistance to the Kosovo Security Forces. The unit is headquartered in Bismarck.

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