Adam RasmussenChannel 2 News
A Nevada Army Guard helicopter unit is getting ready for another tour in Afghanistan.
Even though the Bravo Company 1-189th General Support Aviation Battalion won't be heading there until late March, they leave Reno in a few weeks to continue their training in Fort Hood, Texas.
This is the unit's second tour. It was in Afghanistan for the first time in 2005, and they're returning seven years after tragedy struck.
"The attitude is good," said Captain Mike Bordallo of the Nevada Army Guard. "It's positive. We're motivated. You know, we're getting ready to go."
Bravo Company 1-189th General Support Aviation Battalion is made up of 120 helicopter pilots, engineers and mechanics.
While flying Chinook Helicopters in Afghanistan, they'll be performing several transportation missions, including troop and equipment transport and casualty evacuations. They've been getting ready for their deployment for one year.
"Preparation for deployment, we're actually doing a lot of things," said Chief Warrant Officer Two Brandon Dewhurst of the Nevada Army Guard. "We've got tons of maintenance going on, getting our helicopters to leave."
They're getting their crews ready to leave as well, by training for night missions and dust landings.
"To get our personnel trained up for what they're going to be expecting in the country is pretty much the biggest part," Chief Warrant Officer Two Dewhurst said.
This Nevada Guard Unit was in Afghanistan seven years ago. In September 2005, one of its Chinook Helicopters was shot down in southwestern Afghanistan, killing five soldiers.
This is the first time this unit returns to combat. Many of the soldiers going to Afghanistan were in this unit back in 2005.
Soldiers say they take a large sense of pride and loyalty in their return to Afghanistan seven years later after tragedy struck.
"There's definitely some memories," Captain Bordallo said. "But, it's something that we remember and we'll always remember."
Chinook Helicopters carry a wide-variety of loads, including up to 33 troops or 24 medical patients.
