Weekend Welcome Home Ceremony For Troops in Manchester

First Evangelical Free Church, 1375 Carman Rd, Ballwin, MO | Get Directions »
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The Missouri Army National Guard will welcome home the St. Louis-based 1138th Transportation Company from a 10-month convoy operations mission to Afghanistan on Saturday.

The welcome home ceremony will be held at 1:30 p.m., Saturday, May 5 at First Evangelical Free Church, 1375 Carman Road in Manchester. 

Governor Jay Nixon is set to speak at the ceremony.

Hundreds of family and friends are also expected to attend the ceremony, which will formally end the unit’s year-long mobilization in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

After being deployed last May, about 165 soldiers of the unit underwent two months of intensive combat and convoy operations training before departing for Bagram Airbase, Afghanistan. From there, the 1138th ran more than 90 convoy operations missions, delivering crucial supplies valued at $2.7 billion to forward operating bases across austere and treacherous terrain. As part of Task Force 142, the unit also escorted more than 4,900 Afghan national trucks carrying critical supplies and vehicles in support of units throughout eastern Afghanistan. All told, 1138th missions covered a combined individual total of 847,000 miles driven.  

Before departing from Afghanistan April 20, more than a dozen 1138th soldiers were awarded the Bronze Star. In addition, more than 100 soldiers received the Army Commendation Medal and all soldiers of the unit were awarded the Overseas Service Ribbon, the NATO Medal, and the Afghanistan Campaign Ribbon.

The 1138th is headquartered at historic Jefferson Barracks in south St. Louis County. The unit is commanded by Maj. Jamie P. Melchert, of Columbia, Mo. 

*The above information was provided in the form of a press release.