FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 5, 2009
~Minnesota National Guard Soldiers return from Afghanistan~
Community, friends and family of the Minnesota National Guard's first Operational Mentoring Liaison Team (OMLT) will gather for a Welcome Home Ceremony following the unit’s return from a one-year deployment to Afghanistan.
The twelve Soldiers will arrive at approximately 12:30 p.m. Friday, November 6, 2009 at the Cedar Street Armory, 600 Cedar St, St Paul MN 55101.
The Soldiers served alongside their Croatian partners in Afghanistan as part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) providing support to the Afghan National Army.
Deployment accomplishments included:
* Completed more than 50 joint mounted combat patrols and counterinsurgency missions with NATO coalition partners and Afghan National Security Forces through some of the most hazardous and contentious areas in northern Afghanistan.
* Provided support to the 4th Combat Support Kandak (Afghan Army Battalion) in constructing over 12 Afghan National Police checkpoints along main supply routes.
* Supported the August 2009 Afghan Presidential Elections by:
- Partnering with the 4th Combat Support Kandak and 1st Brigade, 209th Afghan National Army CORPS in order to provide additional presence and support in the Samagan Province and Balkh Province.
- Conducted joint presence patrols with the Afghan National Army and Afghan National Police.
- Provided rapid reaction force teams in order to respond to insurgent attacks.
- Escorted ballot boxes from district collection points to provincial collection points in Afghanistan.
Members of the media are invited to attend the Welcome Home Ceremony for these Soldiers.
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