Schofield Army troops head to Afghanistan

The first of about 2,600 Hawaii soldiers with the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade began leaving last week for a yearlong deployment to southern Afghanistan.

The Schofield Barracks unit previously shipped all of its roughly 90 Black Hawk, Chinook and Kiowa Warrior helicopters.

The aviation brigade, which will pick up more than 400 soldiers as well as Apache attack helicopters from Colorado, will be based at Kandahar, Tarin Kowt in Uruzgan province and Forward Operating Base Wolverine in Zabul province, officials said.

Helicopters, particularly big twin-rotor Chinooks, are in high demand in mountainous Afghanistan, a country with a poorly developed road system.

"The soldiers of the 25th CAB are well trained, highly motivated and well prepared for the mission ahead in Afghanistan," Col. Frank Tate, the aviation brigade commander, said in a news release.

A detachment of soldiers will stay behind and operate from Wheeler Army Airfield to support deployed soldiers’ families during the deployment.

"The families of the CAB will pull together as one ohana to take care of each other," Tate said.

Already serving in eastern Afghanistan are 3,500 Schofield infantry soldiers with the 3rd Brigade Combat Team, meaning 6,100 Hawaii soldiers soon will be in the Asian country.

The 3rd Brigade left Hawaii in March and April.

Neither Hawaii brigade will benefit from an Army decision, announced in August, to shorten combat deployments to nine months from a year. The intent is to provide more time at home with families in between deployments.

Shortened deployments took effect Jan. 1 but don’t apply to already deployed units such as the 3rd Brigade or to aviation units, because of the high demand for helicopters.