FORT MCCOY, Wis. - After a yearlong deployment to Afghanistan, Soldiers with the 1st Battalion, 188th Air Defense Artillery Regiment are almost home. The Soldiers of RAID III (Rapid Aerostat Initial Deployment) landed in Wisconsin at 12:26 p.m. CST today. They first landed near Fort Bragg, N.C., early this morning but were delayed there until after 10 a.m. today.
"Every Soldier in this unit stepped up to serve their country by joining the Guard. Furthermore, every Soldier stepped up again to volunteer to serve on this deployment. This level of service and dedication is second to none, which became clear throughout this invaluable mission. This certainly is a dedicated, service-minded, loyal, patriotic group of Soldiers, and I was very much looking forward to welcoming them back to the United States as soon as they landed," said Maj. Gen. David Sprynczynatyk, North Dakota National Guard adjutant general.)
Sprynczynatyk had traveled to Fort McCoy yesterday to welcome the Soldiers, but the Soldiers' lengthy delay at Fort Bragg forced him to return to North Dakota before having the opportunity to do so. The initial flight plan had the Soldiers arriving in Wisconsin around midnight. The airline housed the Soldiers at a motel in North Carolina until the alternative flight to Wisconsin could be established. Sprynczynatyk plans to return to Fort McCoy on Thursday to greet the troops then.
About 40 Soldiers comprise the group, which will conduct demobilization processes at Fort McCoy, Wis. About 20 Soldiers have traveled from North Dakota to expedite the process so that the Soldiers can return home to North Dakota as soon as possible.
Once demobilization is complete, Soldiers will travel to locations throughout North Dakota by bus, which was deemed to be faster than a flight from Minneapolis. The North Dakota National Guard Public Affairs Office will publish the schedule once it has been confirmed so that the community may welcome them home.
| Date Taken: | 01.26.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 01.26.2010 14:10 |
| Story ID: | 44465 |
| Location: | FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, US |
| Web Views: | 321 |
| Downloads: | 317 |
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