82nd CAB soldiers returning

82nd CAB soldiers returning
Staff report
Posted : Tuesday Jan 22, 2008 14:55:15 EST

The 82nd Airborne Division’s home base of Fort Bragg, N.C., will welcome about 350 paratroopers Thursday when the 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade arrives from Afghanistan.

The 82nd CAB has been deployed for about a year. Their flight is scheduled to land at Pope Air Force Base around 7 a.m., and will be met by brigade commander Col. Kelly Thomas, and brigade Command Sgt. Maj. David Brasfield, according to an Army press release.

During this deployment to Afghanistan, the 82nd CAB comprised more than 2,500 soldiers, sailors and airmen operating with UH-60 Blackhawk helicopteres, AH-64 Apache attack helicopters, and CH-47 Chinook cargo helicopters.

For 12 months, release said, the 82nd CAB provided aviation support to Combined Joint Task Force 82 throughout Afghanistan and supported the Afghan national army air corps.

Throughout the year, the 82nd CAB flew more than 80,000 hours, transported 50,000 passengers and processed more than 90,000 air mission requests to include 5,000 casualty evacuations.


Article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/01/army_braggaviators_080122w/