Colorado National Guard Soldiers from Company A, Company D and Headquarters-Headquarters Company, 2nd General Support Aviation Battalion 135th Aviation Regiment will be honored at a departure ceremony on Buckley Air Force Base Jan. 2, 2020, at 3 p.m.

Family, friends and dignitaries will gather at the at the Chief Warrant Officer 5 David R. Carter Army Aviation Support Facility on Buckley AFB, in Aurora, Colorado, to bid a farewell to approximately 130 Soldiers as they depart for a yearlong deployment to Southwest Asia.

“These warriors are trained and ready to provide support to troops on the ground and will excel at any mission that comes their way,” the Adjutant General of Colorado U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Mike Loh said. “The commitment of these Soldiers, as well as their families and employers, should make all Coloradans proud.”

Based out of Buckley AFB, in Aurora, the 2-135th GSAB will conduct air movement, air assault, casualty evacuation, combat support and combat service support for aviation operations throughout the designated area of responsibility to employ and sustain combat power.

The units also support civil authorities annually during wildfire response efforts and save an average to 20 lives annually through mountain search and rescue missions.

One year ago, to the day, Company B, Detachment 1 of the 2-135th GSAB, the CONG’s heavy lift aviation unit operating the CH-47 Chinook helicopters, deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel.