New York Army National Guard Soldiers return to United States following Afghan deployment

Courtesy Photo | New York Army National Guard Specialist Hector Lopez a member of the 1569th Transportation company takes a break after preparing his vehicle for a Combat Escort Team mission, protecting supplies for coalition forces. The Soldiers from the New Windsor- based National Guard unit have been in Afghanistan since May providing logistics support from this German Army-run coalition Forward Operating Base. Combat Escort Teams are the fighting elements of the Combat Logistics Patrols which keep coalition forces supplied.  

FORT HOOD, TEXAS, UNITED STATES

10.27.2014

Courtesy Story

New York National Guard

FORT HOOD, TEXAS -- More than 100 Soldiers of the New York Army National Guard's 1569th Transportation Company returned back to Fort Hood, Texas today from their Afghanistan deployment.

The company, which specializes in moving supplies, is based at the Armed Forces Reserve Center in New Windsor.

The unit returns to the states after some 10 months of service in Afghanistan, helping coalition forces consolidate and close operating bases.

In the spring of 2014, for example, the company identified and inventoried more than $7 million of military equipment to turn-in as the Soldiers prepared for the transfer of German Coalition forces at Camp Marmal to the government of Afghanistan.

Camp Marmal is adjacent to the Maulana Jalaluddin Balkhi International Airport in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan, at the foot of the Hindu Kush mountains. It is the largest base for German forces, the Bundeswehr, outside of Germany.

In August, 40 Soldiers qualified for the German Armed Forces Badge for Weapons Proficiency, also known as the Schützenschnur. For most Soldiers, it is a once-in-a-career chance to compete for the foreign award.

The Soldiers will conduct demobilization tasks and are expected home in New York next week.

• Date Taken: 10.27.2014
• Date Posted: 10.27.2014 16:43
• Story ID: 146222
• Location: FORT HOOD, TEXAS, US