More than 100 Idaho Army National Guard personnel returned from a nearly yearlong mission in Kosovo focused on NATO peacekeeping.
BOISE, Idaho — After spending nearly a year overseas for a mission in Kosovo, more than 100 personnel from the Idaho Army National Guard returned home Thursday.
The first of the 183rd Assault Helicopter Battalion unit deployed to Kosovo from Gowen Field in August 2024. Friends and family gathered at Gowen Field on Thursday, holding “welcome home” signs and waving American flags as the battalion stepped off the plane.
“After nearly a year away, the Soldiers of Task Force Sawtooth are back home and proud of all they’ve accomplished during this deployment,” said Lt. Col. Bryan C. Reid, 1st of the 183rd AHB commander.
While in Kosovo, the unit worked on a NATO peacekeeping mission, focused on training and supporting its partners overseas, said Oceana Chamberlain, a pilot on the mission. It is the first time since 2003 that the unit has been deployed to this area.
“Their dedication, grit and teamwork reflect the best of who they are and what they stand for and I couldn’t be more proud,” Reid wrote. “We leaned on each other through every challenge and executed a highly successful mission. Coming home, seeing our families and loved ones waiting for us, means everything.”