CONNECTICUT ARMY NATIONAL GUARD AVIATION UNIT PREPARED FOR DEPLOYMENT SEND OFF

Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Debbi Newton

Aviation unit is the third Connecticut National Guard Unit to deploy in six weeks

HARTFORD, Conn. - Maj. Gen. Thaddeus J. Martin, the Adjutant General and commanding officer of the Connecticut National Guard, today announced that the 1-169 General Support Aviation Battalion is preparing for mobilization in support of operations in Kosovo.

A send off ceremony will be held at the Main Hangar of the Army Aviation Support Facility in Windsor Locks on Tuesday, April 7, 2015, at 5:00 p.m.

The 1-169 General Support Aviation Battalion is preparing to deploy 90 Soldiers to Kosovo to provide aerial medical evacuation and transportation support, as well as fuel testing. The unit will also provide maintenance and fueling capabilities. Based in Windsor Locks, the unit is commanded by Lt. Col. Jeffrey LaPierre of Prospect.

"Our aviation assets play a crucial role in operations both here in Connecticut as well as overseas," said Maj. Gen. Martin. “Working together with units from the other components of the Army is a great opportunity to build relationships and gain valuable experience.”

In their training leading up to mobilization, the unit had the opportunity to train with Army Reserve units from California and Florida who will be deploying alongside the 1-169 Aviation.

This ceremony marks the third Connecticut Army National Guard unit to deploy in less than six weeks, and brings the number of Soldiers deployed around the world to 185.

Soldiers from Alpha Co., 40th Expeditionary Signal Battalion deployed Sept. 25, 2019, in support of operations in the U.S. EUCOM area of responsibility. (U.S. Army photo by Tanja Linton)

Deployed Soldiers with Task Force Legion received an unexpected visit from NBA legends Mario Chalmers, Tyrone "Muggsy" Bogues, Michael Cooper, and Jerome Williams while conducting vehicle rollover training at Camp Buehring, Kuwait, on June 8, 2023.

Soldiers from Alpha Co., 40th Expeditionary Signal Battalion deployed Sept. 25, 2019, in support of operations in the U.S. EUCOM area of responsibility. (U.S. Army photo by Tanja Linton)

Soldiers from Alpha Co., 40th Expeditionary Signal Battalion deployed Sept. 25, 2019, in support of operations in the U.S. EUCOM area of responsibility. (U.S. Army photo by Tanja Linton)

Soldiers from Alpha Co., 40th Expeditionary Signal Battalion deployed Sept. 25, 2019, in support of operations in the U.S. EUCOM area of responsibility. (U.S. Army photo by Tanja Linton)

Soldiers from Alpha Co., 40th Expeditionary Signal Battalion deployed Sept. 25, 2019, in support of operations in the U.S. EUCOM area of responsibility. (U.S. Army photo by Tanja Linton)

The Kamov Ka-25 (NATO reporting name 'Hormone') was a naval helicopter, developed for the Soviet Navy in the USSR from 1958.

In the late 1950s there was an urgent demand for anti-submarine helicopters for deployment on new ships equipped with helicopter platforms entering service with the Soviet Navy. Kamov's compact design was chosen for production in 1958. To speed the development of the new anti-submarine helicopter Kamov designed and built a prototype to prove the cabin and dynamic components layout; designated Ka-20, this demonstrator was not equipped with mission equipment, corrosion protection or shipboard operational equipment. The Ka-20 was displayed at the 1961 Tushino Aviation Day display.

Definitive prototypes of the Ka-25 incorporated mission equipment and corrosion protection for the structure. The rotor system introduced aluminium alloy blades pressurised with nitrogen for crack detection, lubricated hinges, hydraulic powered controls, alcohol de-icing and automatic blade folding. Power was supplied by two free-turbine engines sat atop the cabin, with electrically de-iced inlets, plain lateral exhausts with no Infra-Red countermeasures, driving the main gearbox directly and a cooling fan for the gearbox and hydraulic oil coolers aft of the main gearbox. Construction was of stressed skin duralumin throughout with flush-riveting, as well as some bonding and honeycomb sandwich panels. The 1.5m × 1,25m × 3.94m cabin had a sliding door to port flight deck forward of the cabin and fuel tanks underfloor filled using a pressure refueling nozzle on the port side. A short boom at the rear of the cabin had a central fin and twin toed in fins at the ends of the tailplane mainly for use during auto-rotation. The undercarriage consisted of two noncastoring mainwheels with sprag brakes attached to the fuselage by parallel 'V' struts with a single angled shock absorber to dissipate landing loads, and two castoring nosewheels on straight shock absorbing legs attached directly to the fuselage either side of the cockpit which folded rearwards to reduce interference with the RADAR, all wheels were fitted with emergency rapid inflation flotation collars. Flying controls all act on the co-axial rotors with pitch, roll and collective similar to a conventional single rotor helicopter. Yaw was through differential collective which has a secondary effect of torque, an automatic mixer box ensured that total lift on the rotors remained constant during yaw maneuvers, to improve handling during deck landings. Optional extras included fold up seats for 12 passengers, rescue hoist, external auxiliary fuel tanks or containers for cameras, flares, smoke floats or beacons.

(Text Wikipedia)

Here is a shot that I got from the ship as we were pulling out. The

deployment flag was more visible from the pier and the shot that I posted

earlier, but you can see it a little closer up in this photo. It's about

60' long and 30' wide. I was amazed that it didn't get tangled up in the

antennas or on the mast. This was as we pulling through the harbor past the

aircraft carriers and other ships moored at the pier.

Soldiers from Alpha Co., 40th Expeditionary Signal Battalion deployed Sept. 25, 2019, in support of operations in the U.S. EUCOM area of responsibility. (U.S. Army photo by Tanja Linton)

Governor Hogan Helps Send Off a Deployment of National Guardsmen by Patrick Siebert at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport

USS Gerald R Ford anchored off stokes bay during a visit to the UK.

228th Deployment to Afghanistan 2016 (South Carolina National Guard courtesy photo)

USS Gerald R Ford anchored off stokes bay during a visit to the UK.

NAVOCEANO surveyors aboard USNS Heezen send the SHARC wave glider on its first operational

deployment.

Sci-LUG 'small fighter' competition entry - deployed view

Soldiers from Alpha Co., 40th Expeditionary Signal Battalion deployed Sept. 25, 2019, in support of operations in the U.S. EUCOM area of responsibility. (U.S. Army photo by Tanja Linton)

Soldiers from Alpha Co., 40th Expeditionary Signal Battalion deployed Sept. 25, 2019, in support of operations in the U.S. EUCOM area of responsibility. (U.S. Army photo by Tanja Linton)

We used the zipline as our "normal" means of crossing the creek while we built the bridge. =)

Carolina, PR - Soldiers from the 301st Military Police Company (MP CO), US Army Reserve-Puerto Rico, depart on 11 Sept. from the Luis Muñoz Marin International airport in route to their mobilization station on the south of the United States, before embarking their trip to Afghanistan where the Puerto Rican reservist will be conducting detention facility operations.

Brig. Gen. Fernando Fernandez, 1st Mission Support Command Commanding General, and other senior officers and NCO’s were there to give them the farewell.

Family members stand alongside Soldiers during the playing of the National Anthem Oct. 4, 2017 at the 3rd Squadron, 2d Cavalry Regiment, U.S. Army enhanced Forward Presence deployment ceremony. The Squadron with elements from Field Artillery Squadron, 2CR, the Regimental Engineer Squadron, 2CR and the Balaklava Squadron, Light Dragoons Regiment, British Army will initiate the deployment Oct. 9 when they begin their 1,100 km road march from Rose Barracks to Orzysz, Poland to join Battle Group Poland. (Photo by: Staff Sgt. Jennifer Bunn)

NAVOCEANO surveyors aboard USNS Heezen send the SHARC wave glider on its first operational

deployment.

Soldiers from Alpha Co., 40th Expeditionary Signal Battalion deployed Sept. 25, 2019, in support of operations in the U.S. EUCOM area of responsibility. (U.S. Army photo by Tanja Linton)

This is Katherine. She is my deployment buddy.

Thank goodness for her really. She helped the time go by quickly by always being there, having a joke, or just someone to chill with at the smoke pit.

Laurence King

Soldiers from Alpha Co., 40th Expeditionary Signal Battalion deployed Sept. 25, 2019, in support of operations in the U.S. EUCOM area of responsibility. (U.S. Army photo by Tanja Linton)

Deployed Kandahar Afganistan

Soldiers from Alpha Co., 40th Expeditionary Signal Battalion deployed Sept. 25, 2019, in support of operations in the U.S. EUCOM area of responsibility. (U.S. Army photo by Tanja Linton)

Governor Hogan Helps Send Off a Deployment of National Guardsmen by Patrick Siebert at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport

German 12.8 cm Dual AA Gun, FLAK 40, S/N R13-83.

Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland; 2007.

Soldiers from Alpha Co., 40th Expeditionary Signal Battalion deployed Sept. 25, 2019, in support of operations in the U.S. EUCOM area of responsibility. (U.S. Army photo by Tanja Linton)

Multiple callers reported heavy smoke and flames from behind close packed houses in Wallace Emerson, prompting a working fire response Aerial 345 arrived at the 2-storey brick and frame dwelling to find the rear fully involved and significant extension into a bungalow on the B side. Both houses, along with exposure 2A, have long, single-storey frame extension into the rear yard and the fire building had a 2nd floor deck. Alley garages line the back in an unbroken line running the block, limiting access, this situation necessitated calling for a 2nd RIT for C side companies. Two 45mm lines were quickly deployed, followed by a 65 as Pumper 342 and Rescue 423 backed the aerial crew. Lines were stretched from the front as additional companies rolled in, and deployed in the exposure, Aerial 345 was readied for water tower operations. The roofs of both buildings were opened, and personnel in those positions were then withdrawn due to structural integrity issues. Aerial 345 opened up their master stream, meanwhile, a 2-storey house at exposure 2A had to be protected.

While all this was going on, two additional fires were reported behind dwellings to the north and south with crews sent to deal with these potential outbreaks. It took about an hour of hard slogging in hot weather to knock down all the visible fire with significant damage to both buildings, and losses exceed $1 million. Exposure damage was minimal, and the cause of the fire is under investigation.

Summary (c) GTMAA Trumpet

Soldiers from Alpha Co., 40th Expeditionary Signal Battalion deployed Sept. 25, 2019, in support of operations in the U.S. EUCOM area of responsibility. (U.S. Army photo by Tanja Linton)

Soldiers from Alpha Co., 40th Expeditionary Signal Battalion deployed Sept. 25, 2019, in support of operations in the U.S. EUCOM area of responsibility. (U.S. Army photo by Tanja Linton)