Alabama Guard Deploys Aviation Unit

MONTGOMERY, AL (04/01/2011)(readMedia)-- The Alabama Army National Guard's 1st Battalion 131st Aviation Regiment will deploy to Iraq later this month.

The team will provide air movement of personnel and supplies throughout the theater with its UH-60 "Blackhawk" helicopters in support of Operation New Dawn.

A departure ceremony for the battalion will be held at the Garrett Coliseum, 1555 Federal Drive; Montgomery, Ala., at 1 p.m., Sunday.

The battalion, headquartered in Montgomery, consists of companies out of Montgomery, Mobile and Salisbury, N.C., all of whom are deploying. The 1-131 has previously earned the Meritorious Unit Commendation and was part of the surge of troops to Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2006 and 2007

The unit will report to Fort Hood, Texas, for extensive mobilization training before deploying to Iraq.

Local officials and senior Alabama National Guardsmen will attend the ceremony. Media and the general public are also invited to attend.

Release #: 2011040101