ALASKA'S NEWSPAPER

Anchorage Daily News

Subscribe | manage subscription | E-Edition

16° 19° | 14°

forecast | statewide

Daylight : 9:21 AM - 4:10 PM

| Updated: 1:30 PM

Home | Alaska Newsreader | Obituaries | Archives

TV Listings | Movies | Music | Restaurants | Submit Event

Military features

PHOTO GALLERIES

Back from Kosovo

Alaska Army National Guard soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 207th Aviation Regiment, were reunited with friends and family at the Alaska National Guard armory at Camp Denali on Fort Richardson on Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009, after a year-long deployment where they supported peacekeeping and peace enforcement missions in Kosovo.

Obama at Elmendorf Air Force Base

President Barack Obama spoke to a hanger full of airman and soldiers at Elmendorf Air Force Base Thursday afternoon, November 12, 2009.

SOLDIER PROFILES

Alaska's Fallen Soldiers

Running list of profiles of Alaskan, or Alaska-based, soldiers who have died since 2003.

Fairbanks may be permanent home for Army chopper brigade

The Associated Press

Published: October 26th, 2009 09:48 AM
Last Modified: October 26th, 2009 04:31 PM

FAIRBANKS - The Army is expected to decide in March whether to permanently base a helicopter brigade at Fort Wainwright.

Story tools

Comments (0)

Font size : A | A | A

More than 60 helicopters and 1,400 soldiers have been temporarily based at the fort since 2005. Formerly known as Task Force 49, it's being reflagged as the 16th Combat Aviation Brigade.

The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reports permanent basing could bring $460 million in new construction to the post.

The name change went into effect Oct. 16, and a formal reflagging ceremony is scheduled for December. Capt. Dave Mattox, of U.S. Army Alaska, said it does not affect the brigade's mission, and it's not an indication of the Army's plans.

The companies that make up the 16th Combat Aviation Brigade have seen regular deployments to Iraq since coming to Fort Wainwright. A and C Companies, 1st Battalion, 52nd Aviation Regiment have been deployed to Iraq, though the troops are expected to return to the post by the end of the year.

The recently returned 6th Squadron, 17th Cavalry has completed the reintegration process and the resetting of its equipment.

On Friday, U.S. Army Alaska issued a press release saying residents of Fairbanks and the surrounding areas might notice increased air traffic as more soldiers return.

"I know it was quiet here for the last year with without the helicopters and it is going to get busier now that the helicopters are back," Col. Robert Wertham, commander of the brigade, said in the release.