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ALBANY, N.Y. -- More than 200 New York Army National Guard Soldiers and family members of the 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade Headquarters and Company A, 3rd Battalion, 142nd Aviation will take part in the New York Army National Guard's Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program on Saturday, Oct. 18 in Albany.
The Soldiers returned from deployment to Kuwait in August 2014.
WHO: Approximately 200 Soldiers plus their family members. Most of the Soldiers are from the Capital Region.
WHAT: A 30-day Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Event at which the combat veterans and their families will learn about the benefits they can take advantage of, as well as some of the stresses service members and their families experience following a combat deployment.
WHEN: Media is invited to visit the opening events between 10 a.m. and noon, Saturday, Oct. 18, 2014.
WHERE: Empire State Plaza Convention Center, S Mall Arterial, Albany, NY 12242
Coverage Opportunities:
Coverage opportunities include interviews with Soldiers and family members and New York National Guard leaders about the Yellow Ribbon program and the reintegration process. Media should contact Col. Richard Goldenberg at 518-727-7314 for access to the event.
BACKGROUND
42nd Combat Aviation Brigade
The 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade, a component of the Troy-based 42nd Infantry Division, provides command and control for Army Aviation units. The brigade is responsible for elements in 11 states. Components of the 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade in New York include the 3rd Battalion, 142nd Assault Helicopter Battalion, based in Ronkonkoma and Latham, and the 642nd Aviation Support Battalion with elements in Ronkonkoma, Rochester, Dunkirk and Olean.
A General Support Aviation Battalion includes UH-60 helicopters configured as Air Ambulances for medical evacuation, UH-60 used in the command and control role to move key personnel around the country, and CH-47 heavy lift helicopters which can move up to 30 troops and large amounts of cargo.
In 2004/2005 the brigade mobilized with the 42nd Infantry Division and deployed to Tikrit, Iraq, where it conducted combat missions in four Iraqi provinces with units from the Active Army, the California Army National Guard and the Army Reserve.
The brigade headquarters is based at the New York State Armory in Latham and has coordinated aviation efforts in support of emergency responses to Mohawk and Hudson River flooding and Tropical Storms Irene and Lee in 2011 and Superstorm Sandy in 2012.
The brigade mobilized and departed New York in September of 2013 and provided aviation support for U.S. military forces deployed in Kuwait since December 2013.
The headquarters element of 120 Soldiers commanded an aviation task force with some 44 aircraft and about 1,200 Active Army and Army National Guard aviation troops during their Kuwait deployment.
New York's aviation task force included 200 members of the 642nd Aviation Support Battalion (ASB), with Soldiers based on Long Island, Rochester, Olean and Dunkirk, New York along with 60 Soldiers from Company A, 3rd Battalion, 142nd Aviation, based in Latham, New York, flying 10 UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters.
The 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade also led some 400 Soldiers of the Army's 4th Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, an Attack Reconnaissance Battalion based at Fort Hood which flies the AH-64 D Apache "Longbow" attack helicopter.
The brigade also received 400 troops of the 3rd Battalion, 238th General Support Aviation Battalion, a Michigan National Guard aviation unit with some elements from the Delaware National Guard.
The task force provided aviation resources and support to numerous joint and multinational training exercises while deployed, including Desert Talon III in the United Arab Emirates, Iron Hawk III in Saudi Arabia, Eager Lion in Jordan and Intrepid Centurion in Kuwait.
Training focused on air to ground coordination, including air assaults, aerial troop movements, aerial gunnery, air and ground vehicle or personnel recovery operations, overwater gunnery, forward area refueling missions and aviation maintenance support.
Flying time for the unit and the battalions it commanded reached out 11,000 hours and the operational readiness rate for aircraft exceeded 75 percent.
During the deployment 42nd CAB Soldiers – both in the headquarters and in other units-received 35 Meritorious Service Medals, 201 Army Commendation Medals and 100 Army Achievement Medals.
642nd Aviation Support Battalion
The 642nd Aviation Support Battalion provides provide aviation maintenance and logistical support to Army helicopter units.
The battalion has elements at McArthur Airport in Ronkonkoma on Long Island, as well as at armories in Dunkirk and Olean in addition to the headquarters at the Army National Guard flight facility in Rochester.
Formerly known as the 642nd Division Aviation Support Battalion, Soldiers of the 642nd deployed in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on New York City and served in Iraq as part of the 42nd Infantry Division Aviation Brigade deployment in 2004/05.
The Yellow Ribbon Program:
The New York Army National Guard Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program is an effort to help Soldiers and their families cope with the stress of returning to civilian life after deployment, while helping Army National Guard units transition from federal status back to state control.
The Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program requires Soldiers to be present for paid assemblies after their return from a combat zone and invites families to attend as well. The sessions are held in a non-military environment to provide Soldiers and families a chance to share experiences and talk frankly with each other and counselors about their experiences.
Each Soldier is given the opportunity to talk to a Veterans Administration counselor and information on jobs, education, careers and health care is made available.
With their families by their side, they hear about benefits and programs such as veterans' benefits, education and job opportunities and available support networks.
After 90 days, the Soldiers return to regular drilling status and report to their Armory for medical checks and additional briefings.
The program is constantly changing as the National Guard learns more about how to help Soldiers come home from overseas.
| Date Taken: | 10.17.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 10.17.2014 11:48 |
| Story ID: | 145335 |
| Location: | ALBANY, NY, US |
| Web Views: | 71 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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