Master Sgt. Becky Vanshur/Idaho Military Division Public Affairs

The Idaho Army National Guard Aviation Group deployed a small unit to the AFRICOM Area of Responsibility in support of Operation Enduring Freedom on Feb. 23, 2022. The unit will deploy for less than a year.

“The Idaho National Guard always answers the call when we are needed,” said Chief Warrant Officer 4 Spencer Widman, the unit’s commander. “The Africa mission is a noble example of this. I’m proud of the exemplary work the unit has accomplished when called upon in the past and I know their professionalism during this mission will fall in line with the Idaho National Guard’s high standards.”

The small unit is based at Gowen Field and flies the C-12 Huron aircraft. This is a routine mission and the unit has supported several of these rotations in the past.

In 2010, the unit deployed to Afghanistan in support of Task Force Odin. They returned to Afghanistan in support of Task Force Caesar in 2013. In 2015, the unit deployed to Bogota, Columbia and to Kuwait in 2016 in support of Spartan Shield.

The C-12 Huron can readily accommodate cargo, passengers or both. It is also equipped to accept litter patients during medical evacuations missions. The first C-12 models entered service with the U.S. Army in 1974 and were used as a liaison and general personnel transport.