Photo By Staff Sgt. Christopher Bruce | Staff Sgt. Micheal Akins, of Paoli, Oklahoma, and his wife, Julie, kiss at his welcome...... read more read more
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TULSA, Okla. - Numerous Oklahoma National Guard families were singing holiday cheer when their Soldiers returned home.
“For the holidays, you can’t beat home, sweet home.”
The lyrics of the classic holiday song ring true for more than 25 Soldiers of Company B, 834th Aviation Support Battalion, Oklahoma Army National Guard, who returned from a deployment to Kuwait in support of Operation Enduring Freedom on Friday, December 18, at the Oklahoma National Guard Aviation Support Facility in Tulsa.
The 834th mobilized in June of this year and deployed overseas a few weeks later. While deployed, the Company conducted maintenance on UH-60 “Blackhawk,” CH-47 “Chinook” and AH-64 “Apache” helicopters.
Sgt. Maj. David Huddleston, of Sperry, Oklahoma, led the Soldiers on the deployment.
“Our plan was to come home safely and together,” Huddleston said. “We made a commitment that we are going to show what the Oklahoma spirit is about, mental toughness, drive, initiative and motivation.”
Add holiday spirit to the list, which poured out at the welcome home ceremony originally scheduled for early January according to Huddleston.
“It’s the best Christmas present you could ever give anybody,” Huddleston said.
He wasn’t the only one ready to celebrate the holidays.
“It’s outstanding to be home before the holidays,” said Sgt. Christopher Fullwood, of Bartlesville, Oklahoma, a member of the 834th Aviation Support Battalion. “We got our mission done, on time, and above and beyond the standard. Now I get to come home and relax and hang out with [family].”
As of early December, the Soldiers of the 834th had completed 17 full phase inspections on six AH-64D “Apache” attack helicopters, six UH-60A “Black Hawk” helicopters and five CH-47D “Chinook” helicopters.
In addition, they completed 1,384 Aviation Intermediate Level Maintenance (AVIM) work orders on aircraft, aircraft components and sub-components totaling 21,700 man hours of work. These AVIM tasks include maintenance on nearly every aircraft system to include avionics, engines, rotors, flight controls and communications systems.
The unit’s mechanics, who were integrated into Company B, 351st Aviation Support Battalion for the deployment, completed a total of 44,600 combined aircraft maintenance man hours.
During his speech, Huddleston thanked the motorcycle riders who escorted the bus to the welcome home ceremony.
“I still have goose bumps,” Huddleston said. “I felt like I was seven foot tall and bullet proof. You guys honor us by being here today, thank you.”
The riders provided extra holiday cheer for these Soldiers who were happy to be home.
“Cause no matter how far away you roam, there’s no place like home for the holidays.”
| Date Taken: | 12.18.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 12.29.2015 12:27 |
| Story ID: | 185081 |
| Location: | TULSA, OK, US |
| Hometown: | BARTLESVILLE, OK, US |
| Hometown: | SPERRY, OK, US |
| Web Views: | 54 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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