BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan – After a year in Afghanistan, the first of the 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, Task Force Falcon’s Soldiers will be returning home to Savannah, Ga. It began with an end of tour awards ceremony for the soldiers of Company C Medevac, TF Knighthawk, 3rd CAB, TF Falcon, Sept. 23 on Bagram Air Field.
In September 2009, C Co., TF Knighthawk, kicked off the deployment cycle for the entire brigade by deploying early to relieve an outgoing Army National Guard unit. Their early departure came almost two months before the main body flights of the Marne aviation brigade.
During their time in theater, the company flew more than 600,000 flight hours, accomplished 3,000 missions without an accident, including four accounts of their aircraft being hit by enemy fire and still rescuing the patient.
“It’s very satisfying to accomplish my goal of getting everyone home because the enemy definitely had a vote,” said U.S. Army Maj. Jason Wilson, C Co. commander, TF Knighthawk, from Roy, Utah. “I couldn’t be prouder of my guys. I asked much from them, and they gave much, then when I asked for more, they gave more. They’re a company full of heroes.”
In addition to their medevac duties, the company also assisted in training the first Afghan flight medics with their Flight Medic Academy on Bagram Airfield.
“It feels good that we were the first of the [3rd Infantry Division] to set our footprints here in Afghanistan,” said U.S. Army Spc. Michael Walker, a crew chief with C Co., TF Knighthawk, from Sacramento, Calif. “I’m proud of what we did here. We didn’t just set footprints for the 3rd ID, we also helped the Afghan medics with their training; that was a first for them. We helped them with their first footsteps as well. It was a job well accomplished.”