Photo By Sgt. Maj. Daniel Griego | The families and loved ones of C Company, 2-149th General Support Aviation Battalion...... read more read more
SAN ANTONIO, Texas - “When I have your wounded,” said Maj. Charles Kelly July 1, 1964, when instructed to return to safety from his engaged hot zone. Kelly, who founded the call sign “Dustoff,” died in combat moments after that transmission, and his words resonate today as the personal credo of the pilots and crews of the Dustoff legacy.
For the men and women of San Antonio’s C. Company, 2-149th General Support Aviation Battalion, designated “Alamo Dustoff,” Kelly’s words will carry them to Afghanistan and back as they prepare to deploy in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Their farewell ceremony, conducted Sept. 8, marked the final good bye for the families and loved ones of these redoubtable soldiers.
“We wanted to show our battalion and our brigade staff,” said Maj. Angel Perez, commander for C Company, “as well as our loved ones that they’re going to be in our hearts and minds forever and we appreciate all of the support.”
“This is the big farewell for the families getting to see us out the door,” said Sgt. Jordan Garcia, a flight medic with C Company.
C Company is a combat-trained medical evacuation outfit, having previously deployed to Iraq in 2008, where they supported all U.S. and coalition forces in Multinational Division North in Balad and Forward Operating Base Normandy.
“We are an air ambulance company,” said Perez. “Our mission, as a medevac unit, is to we operate in four-man crews at four separate possible locations.”
The 45 soldiers of C Company will join 40 additional troops from Oklahoma at Fort Hood, where the two teams will train together before moving out as a single force for Afghanistan.
The 149th GSAB is but one subordinate outfit of the Texas Army National Guard’s 36th Combat Aviation Brigade. As the singular Army aviation brigade in the Texas Guard, the combat aviation brigade is in constant demand for overseas missions.
“Right now, the brigade that we’re all a part of is right in the middle of 10 separate mobilizations,” said Col. Richard Adams, commander for the 36th Combat Aviation Brigade. “We pushed out our Black Hawk company last August, your counterparts, Foxtrot medevac in February, our ODIN mission in June, our Apache battalion jumps out in January, the brigade joins them in February, and 449th will be followed by the Chinooks rolling out in March. This is what we do now, and we are darn good at it.”
As such, C Company leaves with the support and confidence of its parent brigade, as well as that of the Texas Army National Guard.
“We’re getting support from our CAB,” said Garcia. “They’re showing us they know what we’re doing, they know where we’re going and they appreciate us, and we appreciate them coming out.”
For these soldiers continuing in the footsteps of Maj. Charles Kelly, their call sign “Dustoff” and dedication to their wounded comrades will never falter or waver. They will carry on the traditions of the countless medical evacuation teams before them and set a new standard for excellence in Operation Enduring Freedom.
“The heritage continues,” said Perez. “It is time for us to make our mark and join the game in Afghanistan.”
| Date Taken: | 09.08.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 09.10.2012 00:52 |
| Story ID: | 94424 |
| Location: | SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 535 |
| Downloads: | 4 |
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