CONTACT: Sgt. 1st Class Steven Petibone, PA NCO Office - (518) 786-4581

FOR RELEASE: Saturday, Oct 04, 2008

ON SITE: 2nd Lt. Francis Salvadore, Coordinating Officer - (585) 783-5323 Ext. 4

WHO:

Lt. Col. Scott Norcutt , Lt. Col. Mark Stryker and approximately 60 Aviation Soldiers from Company B, 3rd Battalion, 126th Aviation based in Rochester, N.Y.

WHAT:

A Change of Command Ceremony between out-going 642nd ASB commander Lt. Col. Mark Stryker and in-coming commander Lt. Col. Scott Norcutt. Following the change of command will be a Freedom Salute ceremony for Aviation Soldiers of Detachment 1, Company B, 3rd Battalion, 126th Aviation.

WHEN:

Saturday, October 4, Change of Command begins at 9 AM and Freedom Salute begins at 10 AM.

WHERE:

Army Aviation Support Facility #2, 45 Patriot Way, Rochester, N.Y. 14624

UNIT

BACKGROUND:

(Freedom Salute portion) The 3rd Battalion, 126th Aviation is a Rochester-based CH-47 (Chinook) helicopter unit. The 126th federally mobilized on May 27, 2007. They departed from their Rochester home station on May 29th and flew their Chinooks cross-country to Fort Carson, Colo. There they prepared and trained for approximately 90 days before leaving for Afghanistan on Sept. 2, 2007. Once in Afghanistan, the 126th initially came under command of the 82nd Airborne Division from September, 2007 until the transfer of authority in January 2008 to the 101st Airborne Division. The Guard Soldiers left Afghanistan on May 22, 2008, returning to Fort Dix, N.J. for demobilization. The 126th Aviation was deployed for 12 months total, 3 months at Fort Carson for mobilization and 9 months in-country. The heavy lift helicopters are especially useful in the high altitudes of Afghanistan’s mountains. While supporting Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, the unit provided aerial movement of troops, supplies, and equipment for support of maneuver, combat support (CS), and combat service support (CSS) operations. The detachment moved approximately 5,808,300 lbs of mail, equipment and supplies internally to the CH-47 heavy lift helicopter while moving approximately 1,293,300 lbs of supplies and equipment externally. More than 16,000 passengers were transported to all points in the country. The Freedom Salute program is one of the largest Army National Guard recognition endeavors in history, designed to publicly acknowledge Army National Guard Soldiers and those who supported them when called to duty for Operations Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. The Freedom Salute Campaign began December 2003 and has thus far recognized more than 100,000 deserving Soldiers, family members, friends, employers, centers of influence and other important persons for their contributions and support of National Guard mobilizations and operations since the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. If there is interest in sending a media person or crew to these events, please contact Sgt. 1st Class Steve Petibone or the Public Affairs Office at the contact number above.

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