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The Patriot Guard Riders have been invited to help Welcome Home the 641st Aviation Regiment, South Dakota National Guard,  back to South Dakota!  When this unit deployed last year, we were there with our flags standing tall in the crisp morning air.  As we went through the receiving line, wishing each of them well, and giving each soldier a "Thank You" pin, we told them all that we would be there when they returned.  Now is our chance to show them that we meant it.  Everyone who possibly can, please join me in welcoming home this group of brave soldiers. 

 

Staging will be at the Aviation Support Facility at Rapid City Regional Airport at 1:15 pm, Friday, May 16, 2008.   We will deploy flags outdoors, then move indoors for the ceremony to welcome these Heroes home.

Ride Captain for the mission will be Lance Bultena, (email below).   We will supply flags for the flag line.  Please email if you can attend this mission.

 

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RAPID CITY, S.D. - Soldiers from Detachment 3, Company A, 641st Aviation Regiment, South Dakota Army National Guard will be honored during a welcome home ceremony at 2 p.m. (MDT) on Friday, May 16, at the Army Aviation Support Facility near the Rapid City Regional Airport.

The South Dakota Army National Guard unit was deployed for more than six months in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom providing aviation support to units in theater. During the deployment, the unit was stationed at Logistical Support Area Anaconda, about 45 miles north of Baghdad. The detachment deployed with three additional detachments from three other states, Washington, Oregon, and Oklahoma, to form Company A, 641st Aviation Regiment.

"It is a good feeling to have successfully flown over the skies of Iraq for six months," said Maj. David Doran, commander, Company A, Oregon Army National Guard. "It's an even better feeling now that all the aircrews are safely back."

Specializing in transporting personnel and cargo with its C-23 Sherpa cargo planes, the 641st flew 4,045 hours, transported 21,047 passengers and hauled 9,140,165 pounds of cargo and equipment throughout the combat zone during the tour. 

"These numbers have never been achieved in a six month period by any unit that has come before Alpha Company," said Doran. "In short, the Soldiers in this company gave their very best effort, day in and day out. They held nothing back; they left it all out on the field."

This was the unit's second deployment to Iraq as the unit was mobilized as Detachment 3, Company A, 249th Aviation on Dec. 1, 2004, and deployed there in January of 2005, and returned in January of 2006. The recent name change from the 249th to the 641st is due to the Army's Transformation.

"It has been a tour of which we are all enormously proud," said Doran. "We have courageously done our job and are now ready to return to our family and friends."