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CONTACT: Col. Richard Goldenberg, 518-786-4581
FOR RELEASE: Saturday, Jul 11, 2015

900 National Guard aviation Soldiers conduct annual training July 11-25

LATHAM, NY (07/08/2015)(readMedia)-- More than 900 New York Army National Guard Soldiers from the 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade will conduct their two-week Annual Training July 11-25.

Soldiers from across New York will train at Fort Drum and the National Guard's Camp Smith Training Site near Peekskill, as well as Fort Indiantown Gap near Harrisburg, Pa.

Motorists may note increased military vehicle traffic on the roads as Soldiers move to and from these locations.

The 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade headquarters is designed to command two or more helicopter battalions in support of military operations.

The brigade, with headquarters in Latham, has elements in 11 states including New York. Here in New York the organic elements of the brigade include the 3rd Battalion, 142nd Aviation and the 642nd Aviation Support Battalion.

The two-week annual training period allows National Guard units to conduct training that requires more time, maneuver space, and special equipment than training which can be conducted at armories across the state during a two-day weekend drill period.

The 3rd Battalion, 142nd Aviation, an assault helicopter battalion which operates UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters at Republic Airport in Ronkonkoma and Albany International Airport in Latham, will conduct its training at Fort Drum, N.Y.

Battalion Soldiers will train on the setup and use of the Army's new Standardized Integrated Command Post System, called SICPS. SICPS is system of air conditioned, modular tents which can accommodate the high-tech computer, wireless, satellite communications and radio systems which are part of the Army Battle Command System, known as ABCS.

The battalion will conduct training designed to improve the ability of the Soldiers to employ these systems, conduct weapons qualification with the M-4 rifle and M-9 pistol and conduct land navigation training.

The 3rd Battalion, 142nd Soldiers will also fly UH-60 missions in support of elements of the New York National Guard's 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, which will be conducting tactical training at Fort Drum at the same time.

The Headquarters Company of the 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade, which is located in Latham, will also train on the SICPS and ABCS systems at Camp Smith and will conduct M-4 rifle and M-9 pistol qualification as well.

The 642nd Aviation Support Battalion will conduct Annual Training at Fort Indiantown Gap and Camp Smith. The battalion, which provides maintenance and logistics support to Army helicopter units, has units in Rochester, Dunkirk and, Olean and Ronkonkoma, and Brooklyn.

The battalion's Headquarters and Service Company, which is based at Rochester International Airport, will train on the SCIPS and ABCS systems at Camp Smith and also send elements to Fort Indiantown Gap for aerial gunnery training.

Company B of the 642nd will conduct truck convoy training and individual weapons qualification on the M-4 rifle and M-9 pistol at Fort Indiantown Gap. Company B is headquartered in Ronkonkoma.

The battalion's Company C, which has elements in Brooklyn, will train on the SCIPS and ABCS systems at Camp Smith.

Company B of the 3rd Battalion, 126th Aviation, based at the Rochester International Airport, will be training at Fort Drum. The unit's members will conduct individual weapons training and also aerial gunnery training.

The unit flies the CH-47 heavy lift helicopter and is part of an aviation battalion headquartered in Maryland. The company comes under the control of the 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade for administrative purposes.

Also training at Fort Drum is Company F of the 1st Battalion, 169th General Support Aviation Battalion. The unit flies UH-60 air ambulance helicopters and is based at the Rochester International Airport.

The company also falls under the 42nd Combat Aviation Battalion for administrative purposes, although it is part of a multi-state battalion.

The 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade most deployed to Kuwait in 2014 with a company of the 3rd Battalion 142nd Aviation and the 642nd Aviation Support Battalion. The 3rd Battalion 142nd Aviation deployed to Iraq in 2009 and both B. Co. 3rd Battalion 126th Aviation and Company F 1-169th General Support Aviation have deployed to Afghanistan.

The unit also participated in the response to Superstorm Sandy in 2012.

© NYS DMNA Press Release:900 National Guard aviation Soldiers conduct annual training July 11-25
URL: https://dmna.ny.gov/pressroom/?id=1436357506
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Page Last Modified: Jul 08, 2015