Freedom Salute Ceremony for Decatur-based Unit that Deployed to Africa

SPRINGFIELD, IL (07/07/2015)(readMedia)-- SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Approximately 10 Illinois Army National Guard Soldiers will be recognized July 11 by the National Guard Bureau Freedom Salute Campaign for their sacrifice and service in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The ceremony for Detachment 36, Operational Support Airlift will be at 11 a.m. at Camp Lincoln, 1301 N. MacArthur Blvd. in Springfield, Illinois.

The unit mobilized in July 2014 and deployed to Djibouti, Africa, for approximately nine months. The eight pilots and two flight operations noncommissioned officers returned home individually throughout the month of April.

Detachment 36 flew Beechcraft C-12 Huron aircraft to conduct operational airlift support missions in seven different countries in eastern Africa. Their mission included transporting more than 600 personnel and more than 75,000 pounds of cargo as directed by the commander of Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa.

The unit conducted more than 200 missions, encompassing more than 1,000 hours of aircraft flight time and covering more than 250,000 nautical miles.

Detachment 36 previously mobilized in October 2010 and deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

The Freedom Salute Campaign program is a small way to show these patriotic citizen-Soldiers, their families and employers how much their sacrifice is appreciated. The Freedom Salute Campaign is one of the largest Army National Guard recognition endeavors in history. It is designed to publicly acknowledge Army National Guard Soldiers and those who supported them while deployed.

News media attending the event should arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the ceremony and should notify the Public Affairs Office by 3 p.m., July 10 to be granted access onto Camp Lincoln.

For more information call the Public Affairs Office at 217-761-3569.

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