CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait – Nearly two months into supporting Operation Spartan Shield and Operation Inherent Resolve in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, the Iowa National Guard’s 248th Aviation Support Battalion received a visit from a few of Iowa’s top officials, Feb. 1-8.
The Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Timothy Orr and the State Command Sgt. Maj. Rachel Fails of the Iowa National Guard visited the many duty locations of the 248th ASB Soldiers.
“We felt it was fitting to have the opportunity to visit the Army and Air National Guard personnel in both Kuwait and Iraq,” said Orr. “This has been the first time we have been able to visit since 2010-2011. It’s been the largest deployment of the Iowa National Guard since that time.”
Orr praised the ASB’s command team for their role in preparing for their mission.
“The proper plan and execution of the premobilization phase and the predeployment site survey prepared the unit to accommodate the issues they knew they’d face,” said Orr. “This command team is really focused on professionalism and empowering young noncommissioned officers and officers to do the right thing and learn from that. Because of this, this organization will be solid for years to come.”
The 248th ASB command team, Lt. Col Charles Lampe and Command Sgt. Maj. Matthew Doty, escorted the state leadership team throughout their visit to the many functional areas that make up the ASB to include vehicle maintenance, aviation maintenance, fuel operations, medical aid and staff sections.
Fails mentioned that the briefs conducted in these areas were mainly conducted at the junior-leader level and that their experience doing so will carry back a legacy with them wherever they go across the Iowa National Guard.
“I’m completely blown away,” said Fails “They’ve put forth a great amount of work and effort in a short amount of time to get all of their areas of operation established the right way.”
The 248th ASB, who mobilized in September 2017, is scheduled to return late this summer.
Date Taken: | 02.16.2018 |
Date Posted: | 02.16.2018 03:13 |
Story ID: | 266282 |
Location: | KW |
Web Views: | 1,590 |
Downloads: | 2 |
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