PHOTO COURTESY OF OREGON NATIONAL GUARD
Family, friends and community members gathered to honor soldiers of 1st Battalion, 168th Aviation, during a mobilization ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 3, at the Army Aviation Support Facility in Pendleton.
The ceremony was a send-off for approximately 60 Oregon soldiers who are scheduled to deploy to Kuwait in support of Operation Spartan Shield. The company will transport personnel and equipment throughout the region using CH-47 Chinook helicopters. They will join with other Soldiers from Washington and California for this deployment.
The 1-168th Aviation recently provided CH-47 Chinook helicopter support to wild land firefighters during the 2015 fire season in August. The unit previously deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom to Afghanistan in both 2005 and again in 2010.
