CONTACT: Eric Durr (518) 786-4581

FOR RELEASE: Saturday, May 31, 2008

ON SITE: Major Lee Ohrnstein (631) 559-5998

WHO:

About 140 Soldiers and family members of Headquarters Company , B Company and E Company, and their families, of the 3rd Battalion, 142nd Aviation. The 42nd Infantry Division Commander, Brig. Gen. Paul Genereux, and the battalion commander, Lt. Col. Albert Ricci will speak.

WHAT:

The 3rd Battalion, 142nd Aviation, based at McArthur Airport in Ronkonkoma, will hold its official farewell ceremony Saturday, May 31 at Saint Josephs College. Send-off ceremony for New York Army National Guard members who will be serving in Iraq for approximately 10 months.

WHEN:

10 a.m., Saturday, May 31

WHERE:

Danzie Athletic Center, Saint Josephs College, 155 West Roe Boulevard, Patchogue, NY

The 3rd Battalion-142nd Aviation is an Assault Helicopter Battalion equipped with UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters with units based at McArthur Airport in Ronkonkoma and at Albany International Airport in Latham New York. The Headquarters and Headquarters Company and B Company at based at McArthur Airport while E Company., the maintenance element, is located in Patchogue. A Company and D Company are located in Latham. The send-off ceremony is the unit’s official farewell event. Members of the battalion will begin moving to their Fort Sill, Oklahoma, mobilization training site, this coming week. The unit’s helicopters are expected to leave Ronkonkoma on June. 6. Because of the number of Soldiers and family members expected-as many as 600 people may be present-St. Josephs College volunteered the use of their athletic center for the event. The 3rd-142nd is expected to train at Fort Sill for approximately two months, prior to deploying to Balad, Iraq for ten months of service there. The unit will conduct air transportation operations in support of Multi-National Corps Iraq, as part of the 34th Aviation Brigade, an element of the Minnesota Army National Guard. The New York-based unit will deploy with 20 Blackhawk helicopters and pick up ten more, and an additional company, from the Missouri Army National Guard. That state’s C Co. 1st Battalion 106th Aviation, will deploy as the C Co, for the 3rd Battalion 142nd. The 3rd-142nd began training for this mission last fall. The unit has spent two three-week training periods at Fort Drum, in Jefferson County, preparing for the deployment, and has also been training at home station. Military Speakers: Brigadier General Paul Genereux: Brig Gen.Genereux commands the 42nd Infantry Division, which has elements in New York, New Jersey, and the New England States. The 42nd is the parent unit of the 3rd-142nd. Brig. Gen. Genereux served as the divisions Deputy Commander of Maneuver during 2005 while the division was deployed in Iraq, where he oversaw day-to-day tactical operations for 23,000 Soldiers. He assumed command of the 42nd Infantry Division in 2006. Lt. Col. Albert Ricci: Lt. Col. Ricci is the commander of the 1st Battalion 142nd Aviation. This is his second deployment to Iraq. He deployed to Iraq in 2005 as a member of the 42nd Combat Aviation Brigade staff. Members of the media wishing to cover the farewell ceremony, should have a current press pass for access to Saint Josephs College.