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1-168th General Support Aviation Battalion

1st Battalion 168th Aviation Regiment (GSAB) can trace its history back to 1959 when it was originally organized as the 41st Aviation Company in the Washington Army National Guard located at Camp Murray, Tacoma Washington. Through the next fifty years the battalion would be recast several different times to meet the needs of an ever-changing national defense.  In 1988 the 1-168th AVN was designated as an attack battalion consisting of AH-1 Cobras and OH-58 Kiowa helicopters.  With the retirement of the AH-1 Cobra from the army inventory, the 1-168th AVN was equipped with CH-47 Chinook and UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters.  These two advance airframes would form the backbone of what would become the 1-168th Assault Battalion.

In 2006 the battalion transformed to meet the needs of the Army creating the 1-168th General Support Aviation Battalion.  The battalion consists of units located in six western states.  1-168 AVN (GSAB) and its subordinate units has supported multiple deployments in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn.  During transformation to its current configuration, the battalion was alerted for deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom 07-09.  The battalion was designated Aviation Task Force- Kuwait with it's headquarters located at Udairi Army Airfield, Camp Beuhring, Kuwait comprised of units from Idaho and Washington and again in 2011 at Camp Beuhring, Kuwait in support of Operation New Dawn 11-12 comprised of units from Montana and Washington.

Federal Mission: O/O, 1-168th General Support Aviation Battalion (GSAB) mobilizes and deploys to conduct Air Movement, Air Assault, MEDEVAC, Combat Support and Combat Service Support in support of Aviation operations throughout the designated AOR to employ and sustain combat power.

State Mission: On Order, 1-168th GSAB (WAARNG) conducts Aviation Response Force (ARF) operations and Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA) to protect the lives and property of the citizens of Washington State.

1-168th GSAB Chain of Command

Commander - LTC Emily Gerding

Command Sergeant Major - CSM Michael Luna

Units of the 1-168th GSAB

  • Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1-168th GSAB
  • Bravo Co. 1-168th GSAB
  • Det. 2 Charlie Co. 1-168th GSAB
  • Delta Co. 1-168th GSAB
  • Echo Co. 1-168th GSAB
  • Charlie Co. 140th
  • Det 1. Bravo Co. 351st
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