MEMBERSHIP

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Twenty years after taking to the skies over Iraq, approximately 65 retired members of the 1st Battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment (CSAB) reunited on 18 April 2026, to honor their shared legacy. The milestone event commemorated the battalion's 2004–2006 deployment in support of the Global War on Terror.

During Operation Iraqi Freedom III, the 1-126th Aviation Battalion formed the core of Task Force Dragonwing, operating out of Balad Airbase (also known as LSA Anaconda).  Their operational tempo was relentless, accumulating 17,180 combat flight hours and executing over 1,900 air missions. By the end of their tour, the unit had transported more than 66,000 personnel and 5,100 tons of critical cargo. These achievements earned the Battalion the Presidential Unit Citation and the prestigious title of Army Aviation Association of America’s (AAAA) 2005 Outstanding Army National Guard Aviation Unit of the Year.

Highlighting the event was a nod to that very achievement. Shown in the accompanying photos is a recreation of the original 2005 AAAA National Guard Aviation Unit of the Year award acceptance picture, featuring our former Adjutamt General, MG (Ret.) Christopher Callahan and CSM (Ret.) Bob Fortin, with the unit's AAAA trophy. The award is on permanent display at the Army Aviation Support Facility at Quonset Point, Rhode Island, serving as a lasting testament to the battalion's excellence during that deployment.

Written and submitted  by:

COL John S. Macdonald