Afghanistan: Aviation regiment's deployment began in Iraq, will finish in Afghanistan
For most Army aviation deployments, aviation brigades spend approximately one year down range, return home, wait the appointed dwell time, then redeploy to a different combat zone. This, however, was not the case for one Army National Guard unit, whose year-long deployment has been a wild ride.
Army Sgt. Lewis Howard, a CH-47 Chinook crew chief assigned to the Mississippi National Guard's Company B, 1st Battalion, 111th Aviation Regiment, looks over cargo paperwork for a scheduled pick up of supplies at the next forward operating base in Afghanistan, July 20, 2012. Company B transitioned to Afghanistan from Iraq after military operations ended in Iraq.
Company B, 1st Battalion, 111th Aviation Regiment, Mississippi Army National Guard, currently attached to the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, started their mission in Iraq and is finishing their deployment in Afghanistan.
“We have had a very dynamic deployment,” said Army Maj. Jay Germany, the commander of Co. B, 1st Bn., 111th Aviation Reg. “We are one of the few helicopter units to do an inter-theater change-over. We were also the last helicopter unit to fly out of Iraq.”
During the unit’s time in Iraq, they flew approximately 450 missions with more than 3,500 flight hours and moved more than two million pounds of cargo. Company B also supported the draw down in Iraq by moving personnel and equipment from smaller outposts to main bases.
After departing Iraq, the company transitioned to Kuwait where they received a new set of orders to support the 25th CAB in Afghanistan.
“I did not expect to get deployed to Afghanistan after we deployed to Iraq the same year,” said Army Staff Sgt. Greg Webb, a flight engineer with Co. B, 1st Bn., 111th Aviation Reg. “We train for any mission; transferring from Iraq to Afghanistan was part of our mission.”
Some of the daily missions for the members of Company B include sling load operations, cargo and personnel movement – up to 26,000 pounds or 35 passengers at a time – and air assault operations. These missions support ground force operations throughout Regional Command-South.
“The OH-58D [Kiowa Warrior] and AH-64 [Apache] have provided tremendous support for us,” Germany said. “We are more than happy to do the mission whenever duty calls. It is easier for us to do a 10-minute flight over a mountain than a four-day trip around it.”
During the unit’s time in Afghanistan, they have surpassed the amount of cargo they moved and flight hours flown in Iraq. Some of the cargo moved so far has included supplies to Soldiers on the ground.
It feels good to bring the things the Soldiers on the ground need directly to them, providing that relief to them, and also taking them where they need to go in order to do their missions, Webb said.
Germany shared the same feelings as Webb.
“We take stuff to people who need it; the necessities to those in the field,” he said.
Source: U.S. National Guard
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