Photo By Spc. Osama Ayyad | Approximately 20 Soldiers of D Company, 10th Aviation Regiment, 10th Combat Aviation...... read more read more
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FORT DRUM, N.Y. - Approximately 20 Soldiers of D Company, 10th Aviation Regiment, 10th Combat Aviation Brigade, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry), embraced family members, friends and other loved ones after a welcome home ceremony Nov. 10 at the Wheeler-Sack Army Airfield in Fort Drum, New York.
The unmanned aerial vehicle operators, maintainers and petroleum specialists provided reconnaissance, surveillance, target acquisition and attack support in Afghanistan since their deployment began February, said Sgt. 1st Class Aaron Kerry, the company’s home station first sergeant. The remaining D/10 Soldiers in Afghanistan and the company’s colors are scheduled to return to their families within weeks.
Chief Warrant Officer 2 Michael Linenfelser, the ranking officer of the returning group, said he was proud that D/10 Soldiers did well.
“I am very happy to be home, so I can spend Veterans Day with my family,” said Linenfelser. “However, I am just as happy and proud of the D/10 Soldiers who are now veterans because of this deployment.”
As one of the deployed units in the Army, the 10th Mountain Division and Fort Drum has no shortage of veterans.
Currently, the division’s 1st and 2nd Brigade Combat Teams are advising and assisting Iraqi security forces against the self proclaimed Islamic State as part of Operation Inherent Resolve and Afghan security forces against remnants of al-Qaida and Taliban forces as part of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel, respectively.
The 10th Mountain Division Soldiers have consistently and continuously earned their deployment patches and stripes by taking part in those missions.
Sgt. Lacey Sanor, D/10 UAV operator, was one of the Soldiers who earned their first deployment patch during the company’s first deployment.
“It’s pretty awesome that I get to spend my first Veterans Day as a vet at home,” said Sanor. “I wish all vets could be home for Veterans Day.”
From August to September, D/10 Soldiers concurrently provided UAV support under three Army Service Component Commands on two continents.
While some of D Company deployed to Afghanistan, another portion deployed to Korea to participate in the first Manned Unmanned Teaming operations there, said Kerry. MUM-T operations provide the recon, surveillance and target acquisition capabilities of the Gray Eagle to Army aviators in the field, and D/10 was the first to implement that in Korea.
Simultaneously, D/10 Soldiers at Fort Drum provided similar support to multiple 10th CAB training exercises at the installation.
D/10’s official uncasing ceremony, which symbolizes the unit’s official return, will take place when the remainder of the company returns to Fort Drum from Afghanistan, bringing all of D/10 together for the first time since February.
| Date Taken: | 11.10.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 11.11.2015 19:43 |
| Story ID: | 181711 |
| Location: | FORT DRUM, NY, US |
| Web Views: | 242 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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