RALEIGH- Family members, fellow Soldiers, Veterans and well wishers packed into Broughton High School's Gymnasium March 8 for the send off of one of the NC Army National Guard's premier flying units, the 1st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion of the 130th Aviation Regiment based in Morrisville NC. The Apache helicopter equipped unit is the largest combat unit in headquartered in the Triangle area.

The ceremony, honored the almost 480 Soldiers of the 1-130th and 698th Combat Support Detachment, a small maintenance section that works with the 1-130th, both are headquartered in Morrisville. The 1-130th is outfitted with the Army's most elite combat helicopter, the AH 64D Apache Longbow. Its sophisticated electronic command and control systems allow for multiple aircraft to conduct synchronized attacks on numerous targets simultaneously.

Lt. Col. Jeff Copeland, the Battalion commander, thanked numerous visitors, recognized volunteers from other units that have joined them on this mission, and then went on to name a laundry list of father and son, brother and sister and married couples that are all part of the 1-130th ARB. The crowd erupted in cheers when he said to the families “Your Soldiers are our greatest resource, each Apache Longbow is worth about 30 Million dollars, and can be replaced. your Soldiers health and well being is priceless and your Soldier cannot be replaced. I am committed to the safe return of every soldier in this unit and I'm committed to the safe return of your Soldier.”

The 1-130th is no stranger to deployments, as the first National Guard Apache Battalion to deploy in support of Operation Enduring freedom, they conducted combat operations throughout Afghanistan also being the first National Guard Helicopter unit to engage and destroy the enemy in combat since the Vietnam War. The unit received high accolades for its operational readiness while in theater and returned home with no fatalities or serious accidents.

Following the deployment ceremony Soldiers will continue to prepare for departure to Ft. Hood TX where they will conduct a myriad of individual and collective training tasks, to include gunnery and command and control exercises. This will prepare them for the rigors of operating in Iraq where they will conduct all manner of combat and security missions support Coalition and Iraq Security Forces.

When the 1-130th enters on Federal Active Duty status next month, it will bring the number of NC National Guard on Federal Active Duty to almost 4,500. There are about 11,800 NC Army and Air National Guardsmen, with about 10,000 of those being Army National Guard. They will return sometime in the spring of 2010.

Photo Caption #1:
North Carolina Army National Guard Sergeant (SGT) Thomas Schindler holds his son, Jonathan, following a ceremony for the 1st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion of the 130th Aviation Regiment (ARB) honoring the unit's deployment to Iraq in Raleigh, North Carolina on Sunday, March 15, 2009. SGT Schindler will be deploying with the unit that will be deploying in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Family and friends gathered to honor the Soldiers from 1-103th ARB at Broughton High School in Raleigh North Carolina. (NCNG PAO photo by Army photo by Sgt. Trish Harris)

Photo Caption #2: 
North Carolina Army National Guard Soldiers, family, and friends of the 1st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion of the 130th Aviation Regiment (ARB) attend a ceremony honoring the unit's deployment to Iraq in Raleigh, North Carolina on Sunday, March 15 2009. The Soldiers from 1-130th ARB are deploying March 2009 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. (NCNG PAO photo by Army photo by Sgt. Trish Harris)