Photo By John Crosby | Soldiers of Task Force Cyclone outprocess through medical at the Camp Atterbury Joint...... read more read more
CAMP ATTERBURY JOINT MANEUVER TRAINING CENTER, Ind. – The Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and Ohio National Guard Soldiers of Task Force Cyclone returned home to Stout Field, Indianapolis from Afghanistan in the early hours of July 2.
They were welcomed home by hundreds of family members and soldiers.
The small unit with a big mission returned to the same installation they trained at for the deployment, the Camp Atterbury Joint Maneuver Training Center in central Indiana, for demobilization and out-processing. They plan to return home to their families over the Independence Day weekend.
The unit is comprised of Indiana’s 38th Infantry Division’s headquarter element out of Indianapolis and consists of nearly 200 soldiers. The unit was responsible for four Afghan provinces; Bamyan, Kapisa, Panjshir and Parwan, covering an area of roughly 10,000 square miles with a population of approximately 1.5 million natives.
“I am proud of each soldier in Task Force Cyclone, 38th Infantry Division, and in what we've accomplished in Afghanistan,” said Task Force Cyclone Commander Brig. Gen. Lonnie Culver of Bardstown, Ky., in a previous interview with Indiana Joint Forces Headquarters. “Our priority was to protect the Afghan people and our efforts have made a difference in security, governance and the development in our area of operations. We received superb support from home, so thanks to all our families and friends who have sacrificed so much this year; we couldn't have done our jobs without this support from home.”
Task Force Cyclone oversaw base operations facilitating housing, training and sustainment of coalition forces, Afghan Army and Afghan Police across their area of responsibility at Bagram Airfield as well as Forward Operating Bases Fenty, Salerno, Sharana and Eggers.
The unit also operated with several various countries and branches of service.
“We had French, New Zealand, United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Mongolian, U.S. Air Force and Active Duty Army all at our command and control at one point in time,” said Task Force Cyclone Deputy Commander Col. Tim Thombleson. “We had a very multi-service, multi-national flavor the whole time we were there.”
In February, Task Force Cyclone provided aid, assistance and shelter to more than 2,000 Afghan people at Bagram Airfield after they were trapped by a series of avalanches over the Salang Tunnel, one of the busiest highways in Afghanistan.
In April, the unit was relieved in place by Vermont’s 86th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Mountain) who was also trained for deployment at Camp Atterbury. Task Force Cyclone moved to Camp Phoenix in Kabul where they were responsible for managing personnel, support, and supply for roughly 20,000 Coalition Forces servicemembers and the base expansion of the 11 bases in and around the capital city.
The unit also oversaw the demining of more than 800 acres of land to expand their bases, working with the local leaders of bordering communities.
“We operated a whole lot of area with very few people,” said Bagram Base Operations Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge Sgt. Maj. David Kalanoc. “With the small amount of people we had and the large area of responsibility, I’d say we did one hell of a job.”
All Soldiers made it home safely.
“We had a great team of soldiers, primarily through Indiana and some through Kentucky,” said Thombleson. “We embraced a very diverse mission. There were a lot of different tasks that required our leaders to step up and take custody of their area and they did just a great job.”
Thombleson said, now home, they plan to reintegrate to the 38th Infantry Division Headquarters and train as a full division headquarters in a series of exercises starting next summer to prepare for whatever future operations or mobilizations may arise.
| Date Taken: | 07.02.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 07.02.2010 16:43 |
| Story ID: | 52315 |
| Location: | CAMP ATTERBURY, IN, US |
| Web Views: | 267 |
| Downloads: | 205 |
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