US Army, July 19, 2015 - FORT HUNTER LIGGETT, Calif. by Sgt. Ian Kummer - The California National Guard's 1st Battalion, 140th Aviation Regiment, conducted aerial gunnery training with their UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters at Fort Hunter Liggett, California, July 17-19.
The battalion is scheduled to deploy to Kuwait later this year. The 1-140th is part of the Cal Guard's 40th Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB), which plans to deploy more than 1,000 California Guard soldiers to Kuwait this fall. They will be joined by 40th CAB members from Utah.
"It is important for [the Soldiers] to know their job well," said Staff Sgt. Evelina Gamboa, a petroleum specialist with the battalion.
The 40th CAB deployed to Iraq in 2011, when it flew more than 19,000 missions and logged more than 121,000 flight-hours. More than 75 percent of the CAB soldiers slated to deploy this year are veterans of previous deployments.
"I am pleasantly surprised and thrilled from what I have seen [at the gunnery event] so far," said First Army Command Sgt. Major J. T. Hall.
The 43,000-acre Camp Roberts in San Luis Obispo and Monterey counties is the premier training facility in California for National Guard and Reserve military forces. Elements of the 40th CAB will also conduct pre-mobilization training at Camp Roberts in August. This event certified helicopter crews to safely and precisely engage threats on the ground with their M240B machine guns and night vision equipment during their deployment.
"Keep up the good fight, and learn everything you can about your job and the jobs of your fellow Soldiers. Put out 100%, and we will have a story we can be proud of," said Col. Jeffrey Holliday, commander of the 40th CAB.
The battalion is scheduled to deploy to Kuwait later this year. The 1-140th is part of the Cal Guard's 40th Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB), which plans to deploy more than 1,000 California Guard soldiers to Kuwait this fall. They will be joined by 40th CAB members from Utah.
"It is important for [the Soldiers] to know their job well," said Staff Sgt. Evelina Gamboa, a petroleum specialist with the battalion.
The 40th CAB deployed to Iraq in 2011, when it flew more than 19,000 missions and logged more than 121,000 flight-hours. More than 75 percent of the CAB soldiers slated to deploy this year are veterans of previous deployments.
"I am pleasantly surprised and thrilled from what I have seen [at the gunnery event] so far," said First Army Command Sgt. Major J. T. Hall.
The 43,000-acre Camp Roberts in San Luis Obispo and Monterey counties is the premier training facility in California for National Guard and Reserve military forces. Elements of the 40th CAB will also conduct pre-mobilization training at Camp Roberts in August. This event certified helicopter crews to safely and precisely engage threats on the ground with their M240B machine guns and night vision equipment during their deployment.
"Keep up the good fight, and learn everything you can about your job and the jobs of your fellow Soldiers. Put out 100%, and we will have a story we can be proud of," said Col. Jeffrey Holliday, commander of the 40th CAB.
See also |
1-140 1st Battalion, 140th Aviation Regiment US Army Aviation
Black Hawk in US Army Aviation
40th CAB 40th Combat Aviation Brigade US Army Aviation