NY Army National Guard Aviation Soldiers Deploying to Kuwait Honored in Latham Farewell Ceremony Nov. 14

LATHAM, NY (11/13/2018) (readMedia)-- Eight New York Army National Guard aviation Soldiers who are trained to operate the Army's C-12 transport aircraft and are deploying to Kuwait will be recognized in a farewell ceremony at the Army Aviation Flight Facility in Latham on Wednesday, Nov. 14.

Members of the press are invited to cover the event.

WHO: Soldiers from Detachment 5, Company C of the 2nd Battalion, 245th Aviation Regiment and Major General Ray Shields, the Adjutant General of New York.

WHAT: A farewell ceremony for the Soldiers and families of the detachment prior to the unit reporting to Fort Bliss, Texas for post-mobilization training.

WHEN: 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2018

WHERE: Army Aviation Support Facility behind New York National Guard headquarters at 330 Old Niskayuna Road in Latham

Coverage Opportunities

Video and still imagery of the ceremony in the facility hanger with a C-12 in the background and the opportunity to interview deploying Soldiers and leaders.

Members of the media seeking access to this secure military facility must contact the Division of Military and Naval Affairs Public Affairs Office at 518-786-4581 and have identification.

BACKGROUND

The Soldiers assigned to Detachment 5, Company C of the 2nd Battalion, 245th Aviation Regiment, operate one of the Army National Guard's C-12 passenger aircraft. The C-12 is a military version of the Beechcraft Super King Air turboprop plane which can carry as many as 13 people or high value cargo.

A C-12 is based at the Army National Guard flight facility in Latham.

The New York Army National Guard Soldiers will deploy to Ali al Salem Air Base in Kuwait in conjunction with a unit from Missouri and fly missions in support of operations in the Central Command area of operations which stretches from the Persian Gulf to Iraq and Afghanistan.

They will fly aircraft already stationed at the base. The unit will fly commanders, key personnel and high-priority cargo around the region.

The Soldiers are expected to arrive in Kuwait by the end of November and return from their deployment in the summer of 2019.

This is the third time the C-12 detachment based at Latham has deployed.

In 2009 the unit deployed Soldiers to Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan as part of Task Force Odin, an aerial observation team designed to stop insurgents from mining roads and setting up improvised explosive device ambushes.

In 2013 the unit deployed Soldiers to Camp Lemonier, Djibouti on the Horn of Africa.