CHICAGO ARMY NATIONAL GUARD UNIT RETURNS FROM AFGHANISTAN

Related Media

Photo 1

CHICAGO (01/18/2013)(readMedia)-- In front of an intimate crowd of family and friends, the 15 member 244th Army Liaison Team returned home from Afghanistan to a welcome home ceremony at the North Riverside Armory Jan. 18.

The Soldiers were mobilized in March and trained for a brief time at Camp Shelby, Miss., before deploying in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

"I have stood where you stand," said Brig. Gen. Daniel Krumrei of Springfield, The Adjutant General of the Illinois National Guard. "Oh behalf of the President of the United States, the Governor of the great state of Illinois and myself as The Adjutant General representing the Illinois National Guard, thank you, thank you, thank you. Enjoy this day."

Lt. Col. Timothy Bizoukas of Aurora, the team commander, thanked the families for supporting their loved one while deployed overseas.

"I'm extremely proud of the men that stand here," said Bizoukas. "I'm even more proud of the families that sit here today that kept things going on the home front so we could focus on the fight. Thank you."

The 244th ALT deployed two different teams that worked at border coordination centers. The members worked with their Afghan and Pakistani counterparts to decrease cross-border incidents.

The 244th encountered nearly 800 cross-border incidents with no casualties. There were multiple occasions where both teams resolved situations before they became international incidents. They also assisted the Afghan National Security Force and Pakistani military to resolve situations and compromise on issues.

The two teams also conducted Border Flag meetings between Afghan and Pakistani counterparts. The Border Flag meetings are discussions between the two countries about border issues.

There are only 11 units encompassing approximately 300 Soldiers with similar missions across the Army National Guard, Army Reserves and active duty forces.

Photo 1: U.S. Army photo by Capt. Dustin Cammack, Illinois National Guard Public Affairs/ Sgt. Carlos Colon of Chicago, a member of the 244th Army Liaison Team, reunites with his son after returning home from Afghanistan at a welcome home ceremony at the North Riverside Armory Jan. 18. The 244th ALT deployed two different teams that worked at border coordination centers to decrease cross-border incidents. There are only 11 units with similar missions across the Army National Guard, Army Reserves and active duty forces.

Photo 2: U.S. Army photo by Capt. Dustin Cammack, Illinois National Guard Public Affairs/ The 15 member 244th Army Liaison Team returned home from Afghanistan to a welcome home ceremony at the North Riverside Armory Jan. 18. The 244th ALT deployed two different teams that worked at border coordination centers to decrease cross-border incidents. There are only 11 units with similar missions across the Army National Guard, Army Reserves and active duty forces.

Photo 3: U.S. Army photo by Capt. Dustin Cammack, Illinois National Guard Public Affairs/ Family and friends eagerly await the return of the 244th Army Liaison Team at a welcome home ceremony at the North Riverside Armory Jan. 18. The Soldiers were mobilized in March and trained for a brief time at Camp Shelby, Miss., before deploying in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The 244th ALT deployed two different teams that worked at border coordination centers to decrease cross-border incidents.