SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The South Dakota Air National Guard is once again fully engaged in support of the United States Air Force’s Air Expeditionary Force (AEF) and Expeditionary Combat Support (ECS) rotation plans.

 

Currently, more than 100 Airmen of the state’s 114th Fighter Wing are deployed to seven countries throughout Europe, Western Asia and Central America in support of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. Ongoing Combat Air Force operations in Southwest Asia also include South Dakota F-16 Fighting Falcons that deployed earlier this summer in support of the multi-state Air National Guard AEF deployment.

 

The number of personnel deployed to Southwest Asia will continue to increase in the next week as additional Airmen depart Joe Foss Field. These Airmen will complete advance preparations for a larger deployment that will follow later in July. By the end of this month, more than 350 officers and enlisted members will be deployed. They are expected to return in the early fall of 2008.

 

Over two-thirds of the South Dakota Air National Guard’s 1,012 members have actively supported the Global War on Terrorism, since the Sept. 11 attacks on America, either at home or abroad in 15countries.

 

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FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, please contact Lt. Col. Reid Christopherson at (605) 988-5644, cell (605) 310-9476, E-mail reid.christopherson@sdsiou.ang.af.mil, or Maj. Orson Ward at (605) 737-6721, cell (605) 431-8753.