Idaho National Guard Unit Set to Deploy to Afghanistan Thursday

BOISE, Idaho (KLIX) An aviation unit with the Idaho Army National guard will deploy to Afghanistan Thursday for a one year mission. The Army National Guard’s 1st of the 168th General Support Aviation Battalion will first head to Texas for training for several months and then head overseas to participate in Operation Freedom Sentinel. The Gowen Field based unit of more than 30 people operate Black Hawk helicopters that will conduct medical evacuation operations while deployed. A smaller second unit of about half-dozen personnel are already deployed. “Our Idaho Army National Guard aircrews are some of the finest in the nation,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Burt, the Idaho Army National Guard’s state aviation officer said in a prepared statement. “These soldiers are well-trained, extremely focused and ready to perform the mission.” According to the guard, this will be the eighth overseas deployment in ten years for the aviation unit.