Three-hundred soldiers from a Lynchburg-based National Guard battalion are back in Virginia after serving in Iraq since March.
The soldiers flew into the Roanoke airport Wednesday afternoon. From there, the soldiers returned by bus to National Guard armories in Bedford, Christiansburg, Lexington and Lynchburg.
The battalion operated out of a base in southern Iraq. The soldiers' mission was to secure resupply convoys along the main supply routes in central, southern and northern Iraq.
In a letter, Gov. Bob McDonnell congratulated the soldiers "on a job well done" for their duty.
Full text of Gov. McDonnell’s letter to the Soldiers of 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment:
I am writing to congratulate you on a job well done and express my appreciation for your service in Iraq from March 1 to August 31, 2010. On behalf of all the citizens of the Commonwealth, we thank you for your dedication to duty and personal sacrifice in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Your unit showed tremendous capability and patriotism when you prepared for this mission with just two months notice and stepped up to fill a gap in forces for the Louisiana National Guard’s 256th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. Your actions demonstrate some of the very reasons I am so proud of all of the men and women in the Virginia National Guard -- the high state of readiness you all maintain and your willingness to answer our nation’s call to duty.
Your mission of providing escort teams to secure logistical convoys in general support of United States Forces - Iraq in order to prevent anti-Iraqi forces from disrupting theater sustainment operations was an important one. The resupply operations at various locations in a combat environment enabled United States Forces to conduct and achieve success in their assigned missions.
It is a testament to the professionalism and attention to detail of your soldiers and officers that the battalion completed 278 convoy escort missions travelling more than 172,300 miles and transported in excess of 120 million gallons of fuel and 900 thousand short tons of supplies without any injuries, while your teams reacted to 22 enemy attacks from small arms fire, indirect fire and IED detonations.
We also owe a special debt of gratitude to your families for their support of your mission. They are truly the unsung heroes, and my family knows first-hand the challenges your loved ones face as they wait for their Soldiers to return home. Finally, we recognize the employers who have supported you and the mission. I am thankful that our business community stands behind the noble efforts of our National Guard.
The 1st Battalion, 116th Infantry has a rich tradition of service here in Virginia and overseas, and your success in this mission adds another chapter that should make every member of your unit feel a great sense of pride. I am certainly proud of all of you and, on behalf of a grateful Commonwealth, thank you for your service.
Sincerely,
Robert F. McDonnell
(The Associated Press contributed to this report)
