CONTACT: Sgt 1st Class Steven Petibone, 518-786-4581

FOR RELEASE: Friday, Mar 13, 2009

WHO:

Soldiers from Detachment 20.

WHAT:

LATHAM, N.Y. (03/11/2009)-- Ten Soldiers of the New York Army National Guard's Detachment 20, C-12 Operational Support Airlift Command will hold a farewell ceremony on Friday, March 13, as they prepare to deploy to Afghanistan to fly support operations. The aviation Soldiers will fly intelligence, security and reconnaissance (ISR) missions that will assist Soldiers on the ground by targeting sources of Improvised Explosive Devices (IED's) that are a source of death and injury for U.S. Soldiers. Members of the media who plan to attend the farewell ceremony should contact Sgt. 1st Class Steven Petibone at steven.b.petibone@ng.army.mil or call (518) 786-4581.

WHEN:

10:30 A.M. 13 March, 2009.

WHERE:

Army Aviation Support Facility #3, 330 Old Niskayuna Rd.,Latham, N.Y. 12110

VISUAL OPPORTUNITIES: A formal military farewell ceremony with troops in formation as family members watch. Soldiers boarding a C-26 military aircraft departing approximately 11:30 A.M. for Fort Benning, Ga. B-Roll of the pilots preparing for a routine flight will be available on DVD +R format.

BACKGROUND:

The Army put a similar mission together in 2006 at Fort Hood, Texas and it was sent to Iraq later that year to tackle the problem of roadside explosions, which had become the main method of attacking military personnel and truck convoys. In September, 2008 Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates told Congress that he wanted additional ISR units in Afghanistan as soon as possible. The unit uses small civilian aircraft, the Beech C-12, and a variety of unmanned surveillance vehicles on the ground equipped with night-vision, infrared and full-motion video. Stateside Mission of Detachment 20 The small New York Army National Guard aviation detachment's stateside mission is priority transport of personnel and equipment in the C-12 light utility fixed wing aircraft, which is based at Army Aviation Support Facility 3. Photo Cutline : Senior Airman Rachel Cole helps members of the New York Army and Virignia Army National Guards train for deployment to Afghanistan in altitude chamber at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland. For access to this secure military facility, contact the DMNA public affairs office at (518) 786-4581.

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