‘Welcome Home’ ceremony planned for Boone soldiers

ING LogoFrom Press Release

 

A community deployment recognition ceremony for an Iowa Army National Guard unit based in Boone will be held at 4:30 p.m., Saturday, June 13, at the Boone High School gymnasium, 500 7th St., Boone. Civilian officials and Iowa National Guard leadership will participate and the public is welcome and encouraged to attend this ceremony.

Approximately 60 Soldiers with Company C, 2nd Battalion, 147th Aviation were mobilized in June 2014 as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. These Soldiers traveled to their mobilization station at Fort Hood, Texas for additional training before deploying to the Central Command theater of operations. Based in Kuwait, the unit operated throughout the Central Command region before returning to Iowa in late May.

Company C flies and maintains UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters. This unit previously deployed during Operation Desert Shield/Storm in 1990-91, to Kosovo in 2010-11 and for Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2006-2007.

During its most recent deployment, the unit supported U.S. forces and coalition partners from all branches of the military, while flying more than 2,500 hours (almost 800 combat hours). During this period, Company C also earned the U.S. Army Aviation Safety Excellence Award, The Department of the Army Superior Unit Award, and the National Guard Bureau Eisenhower Trophy.