Golf Company deploys

By Douglas Mallary, NMNG Public Affairs

SANTA FE, N.M. – As the sun rose over the Sangre de Cristo Mountains this morning, Soldiers of Golf Company, 1st Battalion, 168th Aviation, gathered with family and friends at the Army Aviation Support Facility here.

After a few short speeches and tearful goodbyes, the Soldiers boarded their UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters and chartered buses bound for Fort Hood, Texas.

Once at Hood, the approximately 90 New Mexicans will link up with Soldiers from the Colorado National Guard to complete pre-deployment training and validation. The contingent will then deploy to the U.S. Central Command’s area of responsibility and provide medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) support to friendly forces operating there.

Maj. Mike Roybal, commander of Golf Company, expressed complete confidence in his unit during the departure ceremony.

“I can tell you right now with the talent I’m surrounded by that if we can’t accomplish this mission, the mission can’t be done,” Roybal said.

Many of the unit’s Soldiers are veterans of past deployments, and all have been training for this mission for the last year.

Leaving first, the helicopters flew north before turning south and passing by the AASF. The buses left shortly thereafter.

Family members wrote their Soldiers’ names on yellow ribbons, which they tied to a tree set aside for that purpose.