HEADQUARTERS, U.S. ARMY ALASKA, JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska – Nearly 300 U.S. Army Alaska soldiers from three different units will return from Afghanistan to reunite with their friends and families at Fort Wainwright and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Tuesday, Nov. 18.

 At Fort Wainwright, the final group of Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 52nd Aviation Regiment, U.S. Army Alaska Aviation Task Force, will return from their mission in Afghanistan Tuesday morning.

An official ceremony will be held on their arrival for families and friends to show their support for the more than 100 soldiers ending a nine-month deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. This will be a short ceremony.  The completion of the overseas combat mission and the return to garrison operations will be officially recognized in December by uncasing the unit’s colors at a separate ceremony.

At Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, the 23rd Engineer Company (96 soldiers) and Headquarters Company for the 17th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion (63 soldiers) will also return Tuesday morning from deployments in support of OEF to reunite with their families and friends.

As with the Fort Wainwright return, an official ceremony will be held on their arrival for families and friends to show their support for the soldiers and welcome them home.

  1st Battalion, 52nd Aviation Regiment, Afghanistan, Alaska, return, U.S. Army Alaska Aviation Task Force