This time tomorrow evening, Capt. John Forte and the soldiers of the 420th Engineer Company will be home in Indiana, Penn.
These combat engineers have spent the last year doing one of the most hazardous jobs the military has to offer; route clearing in Kunduz Province, Afghanistan. Route clearing entails searching for, and removing, roadside bombs and according to the Fort Bliss Monitor they accomplished more than 480 of those missions.
The soldiers encountered a few injuries along the way, one or two garnering them a couple of days of base time, but for the most part, missions went as planned.
Although nine-month deployments are the standard for most Army units now, the 420th Engineer Company got the “bonus round” and were in-country for nearly a full year. They have been at Fort Bliss, Texas, the last two weeks undergoing demobilization which includes returning equipment and undergoing health screenings.
After the welcome-home ceremonies tomorrow afternoon, the soldiers are expected to be released sometime around 5 p.m.
Examiner’s Personal Note: One member of this 420th Engineer Company has been an online friend and AnySoldier contact since his first deployment to Afghanistan in 2006. So, once again I say, "Welcome home, my friend!"
The National Military Examiner publishes military and military-related content from around the world that often misses mainstream media, including all troop losses.
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