2009/11/13:Rhinelander Daily News: 951st ‘Sapper’ Co. headed home

951st ‘Sapper’ Co. headed home
Friday, November 13, 2009 8:45 AM CST
By Daily News Staff


The Northwoods can get ready to welcome home its heroes.

More than half of the Wisconsin Army National Guard’s 951st “Sapper” Engineer Company is back in the United States following a nearly 10-month deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, according to the Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs.

The remainder of the unit is expected to arrive in the U.S. next week, according to Lt. Col. Jackie Guthrie of the Wisconsin National Guard.

For security reasons, flight information will not be released.

Approximately 100 soldiers from the unit, based in Tomahawk and Rhinelander, departed Wisconsin last Nov. 30 to mobilize at Camp Shelby, Miss. and began their mission in Afghanistan in February of this year.

The 951st supported the 101st Airborne Division. Its mission included searching for improvised explosive devices, scouting out key terrain features and bypass roads for major and alternative supply routes, and gathering biometric data — name, date and location of birth, home of record, iris scans and fingerprints — from local residents.

The 951st performed a vitally important but dangerous mission. Time Magazine featured the unit's Sgt. 1st Class Chet Millard, strapped to a litter awaiting medical evacuation following a Sept. 8 attack, on the cover of its Oct. 12 issue.

Days before that issue hit the stands, the unit’s Sgt. Ryan Adams died of injuries from a rocket-propelled grenade attack in Logar Province Oct. 2. Seven other soldiers were injured in that attack. Logar Province is on the eastern border of Afghanistan, southeast of Kabul.

The 951st will complete several days of demobilization processing at Camp Shelby before returning to Wisconsin. A welcome home ceremony has not yet been scheduled, but will be publicized when information is available.

Since Sept. 11, 2001 every unit in the Wisconsin National Guard has deployed soldiers and airmen in support of the global war on terror. There are still approximately 3,500 soldiers and airmen on active duty in Iraq, Afghanistan and several other places around the world.