RAPID CITY, S.D. – The South Dakota Army National Guard welcomed home six soldiers from Detachment 48, Operational Support Airlift Command, Wednesday, Aug. 22 at the Army Aviation Support Facility near the Rapid City Regional Airport, after completing a yearlong deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
The Rapid City-based unit deployed in August 2011 with a mission to provide aerial surveillance in support of ground forces. Det. 48 is a fixed-wing aviation unit comprised of pilots and operations specialists, which operate the C-12 King Air.
Gov. Dennis Daugaard, Maj. Gen. Tim Reisch, the adjutant general of the SDNG and Rapid City Mayor Sam Kooiker were featured speakers at the ceremony.
This was the second mobilization for Det. 48, having deployed to Afghanistan for seven months in 2008.