KABUL, Afghanistan – The crack1-194 unit of the Minnesota National Guard has been integrated into the mass evacuation of Americans, at-risk Afghans and other foreign nationals from Kabul. The 1,100-soldier unit was sent to Kuwait last spring in support the U.S Central Command’s mission in the region. The soldiers are now specifically deployed to Afghanistan with the 82nd Airborne Division and other regular Army units for Operation Allies Refuge at the Kabul airport. So far 88,000 people have been flown out of Kabul to intermediate transit stops in Qatar, Kuwait and Germany.
Task Force 1-194. In full combat gear in Kabul hangar. Image: U.S. Army
Verbatim:
Lieutenant Colonel Jacob Helgestad, 1-194 commander: “This task force will bring together soldiers from several units across the state. Our soldiers are well-trained and ready for this mission and I’m confident they will represent the State of Minnesota well.”
Task force troops
Task Force 1-194 is part of First Combined Arms Battalion pf the Minnesota Guard headquartered at Camp Ripley. The soldiers are from armories in central and northwest Minnesota and the Twin Cities. They left Camp Ripley in April for training and then to the Middle East on a 90-day deployment.