DENVER—A Colorado National Guard unit has returned home, bringing back all of its members after about a year in Iraq.
“Our greatest accomplishment is that we brought every single soldier back alive. Other units cannot say the same, and we are saddened at the number of losses we witnessed when we were over there,” said Lt. Col. Kenneth Chavez, commander of the 5th Battalion, 19th Special Forces Group.
About 170 Colorado members of the unit celebrated with about 300 friends and family in an airplane hangar Friday at Buckley Air Force Base adorned with American flags, “welcome home” signs, and red, white and blue banners.
The battalion also has members from Texas and California.
Sgt. Maj. John Lee, 42, a 23-year National Guard member responsible for recruiting in Colorado, said the battalion provided humanitarian assistance and carried out combat missions.
They returned home last week in staggered groups.
“The actions they had were full combat-related operations, like the soldiers that are being seen in Afghanistan and Iraq,” said Lee, who said details of the missions were classified. “It was every bit of what you’re seeing on the news and reading about.”
———
Information from: Rocky Mountain News,
