SJR43,1,42 Whereas, the Wisconsin-based 1st Battalion, 147th Aviation Regiment of the
3Army National Guard mobilized in June 2010 and deployed in September 2010 in
4support of Operation Iraqi Freedom; and

SJR43,1,95 Whereas, the 147th was among the 50,000 U.S. troops who remained in Iraq
6after Operation New Dawn began and who were responsible for all aviation
7operations—including troop and cargo movements, medevac, and attack
8missions—in United States Division-South, which covers nine provinces of Iraq,
9including the area south of Baghdad; and

SJR43,1,1110 Whereas, the 147th, known as the "Iron Hawks," is a UH-60M Black Hawk
11helicopter unit that includes soldiers in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Indiana; and

SJR43,1,1312 Whereas, the Iron Hawks received the 2010 Army Aviation Association of
13America's John J. Stanko award; and

SJR43,1,1514 Whereas, this is the first such award for a Wisconsin National Guard helicopter
15unit; and

SJR43,2,3

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1Whereas, the John J. Stanko Award is presented to the Army National Guard
2aviation unit that has made an outstanding contribution or innovation to the field
3of army aviation above and beyond the normal assigned mission; and

SJR43,2,54 Whereas, Lt. Colonel Marty Pond is the battalion commander of the Iron
5Hawks; and

SJR43,2,116 Whereas, the nature of the 147th's mission in Iraq was outside of normal
7parameters. Operating with aviation units from Colorado and Kansas as Task Force
8Ironhawk, the 147th covered all of the United States Division-South — including six
9bases — performing the highest number of missions of any battalion supporting the
101st Enhanced Combat Aviation Brigade of the 1st Infantry Division (the Big Red
11One); and

SJR43,2,1612 Whereas, during a four-month span, the 147th flew 1,986 missions totaling
13more than 15,000 combat hours without accidents. Three of the aviation battalion
14companies moved more than 5,600 passengers and 660,000 pounds of cargo in that
15time frame, while the fourth provided round-the-clock medevac coverage at four
16locations, conducting 102 missions and transporting 109 patients; and

SJR43,2,2017 Whereas, on the ground, aircraft from three units across six bases were
18integrated into one maintenance program, with an airframe readiness rate greater
19than 85 percent. Battalion mechanics provided expert instruction on the UH-60M
20to contractors and aviation intermediate maintenance units; and

SJR43,2,2421 Whereas, one-third of Company E's soldiers cross-trained to learn refueling
22operations, and improved the process so that one refueling point can serve six Black
23Hawks. Company E dispensed nearly 900,000 gallons of fuel with no environmental
24mishaps; and

SJR43,3,5

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1Whereas, prior to deploying, the 147th was converted to the first Army National
2Guard air assault helicopter battalion, which involved intensive training and
3fielding new equipment. Flight instructors with the 147th also trained helicopter
4pilots from numerous other guard and active army aviation units, resulting in 25
5qualified pilots and eight instructor pilots; and

SJR43,3,96 Whereas, warrant officers in the 147th from Wisconsin and Michigan formed
7a communications security team to train on the new communications system for the
8UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter. The process they developed became the standard
9used by the Army; and

SJR43,3,1510 Whereas, the 147th reported for active duty on June 17, 2010, for its third
11Middle East deployment. A portion of the battalion first deployed to Iraq in March
122003. The unit also deployed to Kuwait from July 2001 to August 2002 in support
13of Operation Desert Spring. A portion of the 147th also deployed in support of Task
14Force Eagle, the NATO peacekeeping operation in Kosovo, in July 2006 for a
15one-year mission; and

SJR43,3,2016 Whereas, the 147th has played an important role in stateside responses, such
17as the historic mobilization of the National Guard across the country to respond to
18Hurricane Katrina on the Gulf coast, and the Wisconsin floods of 2008. In 1998 the
19147th deployed to Guatemala for several months following Hurricane Mitch; now,
20therefore, be it