140 Guam Army Guard soldiers return home

About 140 soldiers of the Guam Army National Guard’s “Ayuyu” Company, 1st Battalion (“Chamorri”), 294th Infantry Regiment, were scheduled to return home last night after being deployed to Afghanistan in February in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and the Global War on Terror.

“We’re all very excited and happy for our soldiers’ return,” said Lt. Col. George Charfauros, Battalion Commander, 1st Battalion (“Chamorri”), 294th Infantry Regt., Guam Army National Guard. “This is the first time in a long time that a majority of our soldiers and airmen will be home for the Christmas holiday.”

“We’ll continue to keep all soldiers, airmen and their families who won’t be home this holiday in our thoughts and prayers,” added Charfauros.

The core of the unit is built around an infantry company with a support element comprising soldiers mainly from the Guam Army Guard’s Forward Support Company and various other units. The Support Element provided logistic, maintenance, medical, and administrative support to the infantry company.

The soldiers provided security for units operating in the assigned Area of Operation and training to the Afghan National Security Forces.

The unit conducted over 600 combat patrols, training operations and humanitarian assistance in support of Task Force Currahee, 101st Airborne Division.

The bulk of the soldiers arrived at Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, on Nov. 25, where Maj. Gen. Donald J. Goldhorn, the Adjutant General, and other key leaders welcomed them back.

On Thanksgiving Day, the soldiers were able to enjoy a Thanksgiving holiday meal, barbecue-style, at Richardson Field, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, with the help of the Battalion’s Family Readiness Group and the Purple Ribbon Campaign.

“This mission provided a number of good experiences and opportunities, but we suffered a terrible loss of two of our soldiers,” said Sgt. Matthew Quitugua, 1-294th Inf. Regt. “We are very grateful to be here [in Hawaii], but we also wish Sergeants Mora and Leon Guerrero could’ve been here with us, too.”

“We’re all looking forward to being home for Christmas with our families and friends,” added Quitugua.

The unit was last deployed in 2004 for a year to the Horn of Africa in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa. [B][I](PR)[/I][/B]