11th ADA ‘Imperial’ Soldiers return from deployment
For nearly the past year, Headquarters and Headquarters Battery, 11th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, has conducted split operations between Fort Bliss and the Centrail Command area of operations. While the unit’s personnel felt the demands of this mission, all was a success as the mission came to a close with Soldiers reuniting with family, friends and comrades at the El Paso International Airport Sunday through today.
The mission was to oversee units within the brigade as they provided assets throughout the CENTCOM area of operations.
“We had regular and significant interaction with our host nation partners as part of the CENTCOM theater security cooperation strategy,” said Col. Joseph DeAntona, the brigade’s commander. “Most of our interaction focused on missile defense, force protection and cultural awareness.”
The unit’s Soldiers started deploying in October 2008 with replacements and fills going into theater through January.
“This was a unique mission to air defense,” said 1st Sgt. Gruidl, HHB’s first sergeant. “It is one we have done in the past but it has been quite a while since we have done so with this many assets.”
“For a small element, they did a lot of work,” said Capt. Charles Johnson, the battery’s commander.
