FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. – (CLARKSVILLENOW) Family and friends welcomed home 103 soldiers assigned to B Company, 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) Tuesday along with elements from the brigade’s 326th Brigade Engineer Battalion.
They returned from a six-month deployment supporting United States Africa Command on the Horn of Africa.
The soldiers made up elements of the East African Response Force, a rapid-response and security force for U.S. locations and interests within the Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa area of operations. The majority were stationed at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti.
While conducting this mission, the “Bushmaster” soldiers maintained a strong focus on training and readiness. They conducted day and night maneuver and live-fire exercises, as well as maintaining proficiency on multiple weapon systems and hand-to-hand combat. They also conducted Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercises to ensure they were ready to deploy at moment’s notice to sites across the African continent.
One returning soldier, Specialist Devin Albert was seeing his daughter, Peyton, for the first time.
“It’s a blessing to me, I’m very excited because it’s my first daughter. It’s a miracle, I feel great,” said Albert. Devin’s wife Bria talked about him being home.
“I’m very excited, we missed him and I was ready for him to meet his daughter and see his son again,” she said.
This homecoming concludes 1st BCT’s mission as “Bastogne” soldiers deployed to over 20 African countries to support training programs, international exercises and other missions. These Soldiers helped improve readiness, promote interoperability, build capacity and strengthen partner relationships on the continent of Africa.
