INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana National Guard's Company F, 3-238th Aviation Battalion Air Traffic System will be activated in April 2009 for Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Indiana's Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. R. Martin Umbarger, received notification in December that the aviation battalion Soldiers would deploy to Iraq to support the Global War on Terrorism.
Approximately 40 Soldiers from the unit, based at Camp Atterbury, Ind., will depart for Fort Sill, Okla. to hone their skills critical for their time in theater. The unit is commanded by Capt. Troy Todd and the unit's top enlisted Soldier is 1st Sgt. Christopher Wallace.
The Soldiers are scheduled to conduct aviation operations, to include controlling airspace in Iraq.
"For our Indiana National Guard Soldiers, this is an important period to be operating in Iraq," said Maj. Gen. Umbarger. "The Iraqi people are taking steps to stabilize their own country with our help. Each day we're moving forward in our efforts."
The unit's deployment time should be no longer than one year.
Other Indiana aviation units that have recently deployed or are already overseas: Approximately 75 Company C, 1st Battalion, 137th Aviation Brigade Soldiers mobilized on Jan. 3 and are training at Fort Sill. Approximately 150 Soldiers from three different companies of 2nd Battalion, 238th General Support Aviation are serving in Kuwait. They left Indiana in November.