Wyoming soldiers return home from historic deployment

(Cowboy State Free Press)

From the Wyoming National Guard

CHEYENNE – Soldiers from the Wyoming Army National Guard’s 960th Brigade Support Battalion, 115th Fires Brigade, will return to the Casper Natrona County International Airport’s Nerd Hanger at 9:30 a.m., on March 27.

The guard said this is the first of three groups of returning soldiers and will include 960 BSB service members whose unit armories are based in the cities of Casper and Douglas.

Members of the public are invited to join the Soldiers’ families in welcoming the unit home. The Nerd Hanger, located next to the commercial aircraft terminal, will be open to family members, media and the public two hours prior to the chartered aircraft arrival. Those attending will be directed to a designated parking area at the airport.

This group of roughly 100 Wyoming Soldiers left the Casper airport in April 2009, to conduct pre-mobilization training at Fort Hood, Texas, before making the journey to Kuwait in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The mission of this unit was to conduct command and control operations of Camp Virginia,
Kuwait, servicing transient service members from all branches of the military as they moved throughout theaters of operation in support of the Global War on Terror.

Throughout its time in Kuwait, the 960 BSB processed more than 20,000 work-orders, served more than 500,000 meals and significantly improved the cleanliness and efficiency of Camp Virginia. The unit also initiated camp improvement projects including the installation of run-quiet generators, replacement of 700 transient tents, construction of 30 additional large transient tents, installation of a wireless emergency notification system, and several smaller quality-of-life upgrades to 1,000 permanent and 180,000
transient Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines.

Homecoming event coordinators are looking for volunteers to help wave flags and welcome Wyoming Soldiers home. For more information on how to help with the ceremony, please contact the Wyoming Guard’s Yellow Ribbon Program by calling Deputy Military Personnel Officer, Ms. Corey Loghry, at 307-
772-5933.