Photos: Arizona Army National Guard deployment
- Updated
Thirty-five members of Bravo Company, 1-285 Attack Reconnaissance Battalion deployed from Silverbell Army Heliport on Friday, Aug. 24, destined for Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
Jackson Libby, 3, touches the leg of his dad, Company Commander Brendan Libby during pre-flight briefing at Silverbell Army Heliport north of Tucson on Friday. Members of the 1-285th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion B Company left for a deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
- Ron Medvescek/Arizona Daily Star
Pilots Jennifer Languall, left, and Guy Ballard gather their gear in preparation to fly their Apache attack helicopter out of Silverbell Army Heliport on Friday. Members of the 285th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion B Company left for a deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
- Ron Medvescek/Arizona Daily Star
Apache helicopters hover in preparation for takeoff at Silverbell Army Heliport on Friday. Members of the 285th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion B Company left for a deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
- Ron Medvescek/Arizona Daily Star
Arizona Army National Guard Airman Benjamin Smith cradles his wife Shamerie as he waits to board the bus for his third deployment in five years, second to Afghanistan on Friday, August 24, 2012. She is seven months pregnant with their sixth child.
- Ron Medvescek/Arizona Daily Star
Steve Trumbell sits in his Apache helicopter awaiting his first deployment from Silverbell Army Heliport on Friday. Members of the 285th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion B Company left for a deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
- Ron Medvescek/Arizona Daily Star
Pilot Marco Elsner inspects the rotors of his Apache helicopter at Silverbell Army Heliport on Friday. Members of the 285th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion B Company left for a deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
- Ron Medvescek/Arizona Daily Star
Sgt Bill Aragon comforts Hope Gallego as her father ray Valencia looks on at Silverbell Army Heliport on Friday. Hope's husband Juan Gallego is an aircraft mechanic and is deploying with members of the 285th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion B Company to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
- Ron Medvescek/Arizona Daily Star
Jackson Libby, 3, touches the leg of his dad, Company Commander Brendan Libby during pre-flight briefing at Silverbell Army Heliport north of Tucson on Friday. Members of the 1-285th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion B Company left for a deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
- Ron Medvescek/Arizona Daily Star
Pilots Jennifer Languall, left, and Guy Ballard gather their gear in preparation to fly their Apache attack helicopter out of Silverbell Army Heliport on Friday. Members of the 285th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion B Company left for a deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
- Ron Medvescek/Arizona Daily Star
Apache helicopters hover in preparation for takeoff at Silverbell Army Heliport on Friday. Members of the 285th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion B Company left for a deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
- Ron Medvescek/Arizona Daily Star
Some stay behind at Silverbell Army Heliport and others ahip out to Ft. Hood and Afghanistan on Friday, August 24, 2012.
- Ron Medvescek/Arizona Daily Star
Apache helicopter pilot Jennifer Languall, right, hugs her husband Ty Languell prior to lifting off from Silverbell Army Heliport on Friday. At left is her mother Tammy Winsley and Ty's daughter Madison Languell, 5.
- Ron Medvescek/Arizona Daily Star
Arizona Army National Guard Airman Benjamin Smith cradles his wife Shamerie as he waits to board the bus for his third deployment in five years, second to Afghanistan on Friday, August 24, 2012. She is seven months pregnant with their sixth child.
- Ron Medvescek/Arizona Daily Star
An unidentified couple says their good-byes prior to boarding the bus at Silverbell Army Heliport north of Tucson on Friday, August 24, 2012
- Ron Medvescek/Arizona Daily Star
Four Apache attack helicopters head out from Silverbell Army Heliport on Friday enroute to Fort Hood, Texas, where they will be prepared and deployed to Afghanistan.
- Ron Medvescek/Arizona Daily Star
One of four helicopters flies over Pinal Air Park on Friday enroute to Ft. Hood, Texas, prior to deployment to Afghanistan.
- Ron Medvescek/Arizona Daily Star
Steve Trumbell sits in his Apache helicopter awaiting his first deployment from Silverbell Army Heliport on Friday. Members of the 285th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion B Company left for a deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
- Ron Medvescek/Arizona Daily Star
Pilot Marco Elsner inspects the rotors of his Apache helicopter at Silverbell Army Heliport on Friday. Members of the 285th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion B Company left for a deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
- Ron Medvescek/Arizona Daily Star
Sgt Bill Aragon comforts Hope Gallego as her father ray Valencia looks on at Silverbell Army Heliport on Friday. Hope's husband Juan Gallego is an aircraft mechanic and is deploying with members of the 285th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion B Company to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
- Ron Medvescek/Arizona Daily Star
As featured on
A Marana-based Army National Guard unit is heading to Afghanistan.Β Thirty-four soldiers from Bravo Company, 1-285th Attack Reconnaissance Battalion left Friday from Silverbell Army Heliport in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.
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