Medford, Ore. – The Oregon Army National Guard honored nearly 300 Soldiers of 1st Battalion, 186th Infantry Regiment, 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, in a formal demobilization ceremony, August 8, at the Spiegelberg Stadium, in Medford.
U.S. Senator Ron Wyden; Oregon State Senator Alan Bates, representing Oregon Governor Kate Brown; Oregon Secretary of State Jeanne Atkins; City of Medford Mayor Gary Wheeler; Maj. Gen. Daniel R. Hokanson, Adjutant General, Oregon; Brig. Gen. Todd A. Plimpton, Land Component Commander; Col. William J. Prendergast, IV, Commander of the 41st Infantry Brigade Combat Team, along with other dignitaries, attended the ceremony to officially welcome the Soldiers home.
The 1-186th Infantry Battalion conducted the Guard Force mission, providing security and force protection, for a joint task force operating throughout Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom from September 2014 through December 2014, and Operation Freedom’s Sentinel from January 2015 through June 2015. The battalion was headquartered at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan.
Due to the continual drawdown of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, Alpha Company, 1-186th Infantry Battalion, was re-missioned in December of 2014 and moved to support 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, in Kandahar until April 2015. Alpha Company provided force protection in static positions, on mounted patrols, and as part of the internal Quick Reaction Force for Kandahar Airfield.
During the deployment, Soldiers within the battalion were awarded two Bronze Star Medals, 112 Army Commendation Medals, 91 Army Achievement Medals, and four Combat Infantry Badges.
The 1-186th Infantry Battalion is headquartered in Ashland with companies based in Medford, Roseburg, Grants Pass, Coos Bay and St. Helens. The battalion is under the command of Lt. Col. Noel Hoback and Command Sgt. Maj. Brad Huppunen.
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