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SALEM, Oregon -- Oregon Army National Guard Soldiers with 1st Battalion, 168th Aviation, are scheduled to be honored in a demobilization ceremony on Saturday, October 22, at 2:00 p.m., in Pendleton, Oregon. The unit recently returned from a deployment to the Middle East in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.

The ceremony is scheduled to take place at the Army Aviation Support Facility (AASF #2), located at 2100 Northwest 56th Drive, Pendleton, Oregon, 97801-4520.

Approximately 60 Oregon Soldiers deployed alongside Washington and California Army National Guard Soldiers of the 1-168th General Support Aviation Battalion (GSAB), 40th Combat Aviation Brigade. The unit performed heavy helicopter airlift operations, transporting personnel and equipment using CH-47F Chinook helicopters throughout the U.S. Central Command area of operations.

The unit flew thousands of hours, performing resupply and passenger movement that supported every branch of the U.S. military in the Arabian Gulf region over the last eight months. Collectively, the unit transported more than 10,000 personnel and 1.1 million pounds of cargo. They performed missions such as insertions, extractions, sling-loads, helocasts, parachute drops, and conducted deck landings on U.S. Navy ships in the Arabian Gulf.

"Every CH-47F pilot became deck-landing qualified, which will absolutely have a positive effect on the stateside mission in the event of a catastrophic event, such as a Cascadia earthquake, where hospital ships could be sailed off-shore," said Lt. Col. Alan Gronewold, battalion commander of 2nd Battalion, 641st Aviation Regiment. "Our Soldiers conducted resupply and passenger movements that were vital to the U.S. mission overseas, keeping Soldiers all over the country equipped and ready."

These aviation missions wouldn't have been possible without the work of maintenance and ground support. The skilled maintainers from Oregon were able to increase the aviation maintenance capability in theater by over 33 percent. In addition, ground support personnel maintained wheeled vehicles, power generation equipment, fuel distribution systems, and assisted with providing security for their area of operations.

"Our maintainers were instrumental in ensuring quick turnaround on routine maintenance, allowing our helicopters to be available any time of day or night," said Sgt. 1st Class Richard Shaver, the unit's readiness noncommissioned officer.

The unit flew CH-47F Chinook helicopters that were already located in theater, while the Oregon Army National Guard is concurrently transitioning to the new F-model Chinooks here in Oregon. The F-models include new, updated electronics and cargo loading systems. The demobilization ceremony will also mark the roll-out of these new aircraft for the Pendleton-based unit.

The company is comprised of Soldiers from several detachments of the 1-168th GSAB, including Detachment 2, Headquarters and Headquarters Company; Detachment 1, Bravo Company; Detachment 2, Delta Company; and Detachment 2, Echo Company.

Scheduled to attend the ceremony will be Secretary of State Jeanne Atkins, on behalf of Oregon Governor Kate Brown; U.S. Representative Greg Walden (OR-District 2); Pendleton Mayor Phillip Houk; and Maj. Gen. Michael E. Stencel, Adjutant General, Oregon; among others.

The event is open to the public and media is encouraged to attend.

PHOTO CAPTIONS:
160314-Z-JK353-021: An Army National Guard CH-47 Chinook helicopter from Company B, 1st Battalion, 168th Aviation Regiment, 40th Combat Aviation Brigade, takes off from the USS Ponce, an Afloat Forward Staging Base, in the Persian Gulf, March 14, 2016. Oregon Army National Guard pilots, based out of Pendleton, Oregon, practiced landing aboard U.S. Navy vessels while deployed in the Middle East. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Ian M. Kummer, 40th Combat Aviation Brigade)

160502-Z-JK353-005: An Army National Guard CH-47 Chinook helicopter from Company B, 1st Battalion, 168th Aviation Regiment, 40th Combat Aviation Brigade, deploys Soldiers into the Persian Gulf during a Helocast training exercise, May 2, 2016. Helocast is a method of inserting teams of troops into combat zones that might not be otherwise accessible. Oregon Army National Guard pilots and crewmembers, based out of Pendleton, Oregon, performed heavy helicopter airlift operations throughout the U.S. Central Command area of operations while deployed to the Middle East. (U.S. Army Photo by Staff Sgt. Ian M. Kummer, 40th Combat Aviation Brigade Public Affairs)

160331-A-YT036-101: An Army National Guard CH-47 Chinook helicopter from Company B, 1st Battalion, 168th Aviation Regiment, 40th Combat Aviation Brigade, sling-loads a decommissioned vehicle, March 31, 2016, to transport it to a training range where it can be used as a mortar target. Oregon Army National Guard pilots and crewmembers, based out of Pendleton, Oregon, performed heavy helicopter airlift operations throughout the U.S. Central Command area of operations while deployed to the Middle East. (U.S. Army photos by Sgt. Dana Moen, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team)

160317-M-PA636-034: Army National Guard CH-47 Chinook helicopters are escorted by AH-64D Apache Longbow helicopters as they carry U.S. Marines, with Task Force Spartan, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), over Taji, Iraq, as they head to Kara Soar for their mission in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, March 17, 2016. Oregon Army National Guard pilots and crewmembers, based out of Pendleton, Oregon, performed heavy helicopter airlift operations throughout the U.S. Central Command area of operations while deployed to the Middle East. (U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Cpl. Andre Dakis/Released)