Guard's Aviation Maintenance Ready and Prepared

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By Alden Downing

Story Published: Aug 7, 2008 at 6:08 PM MST

Story Updated: Aug 7, 2008 at 9:18 PM MST

HELENA - The National Guard's Blackhawk crews have a lot to be proud of. In September they will receive the U.S. Army's Master of Readiness award for maintenance and flight time of it's 13 UH60's.

The 1-189th General Support Aviation Battalion has successfully maintained the Blackhawk helicopters through more than 2,300 hours of flight time in the past 11 months. They're not flying the planes, but the maintenance crew keeps these helicopters in the air.

"It is the backbone of aviation," explained Captain Robert Oleson, Aviation Maintenance Officer for the guard. "If you can't maintain them, you can't fly them. Therefore, you can't train and either deploy for a state side emergency of our federal mission."

For each hour of flight each of the Blackhawks require 17 hours of maintenance. It takes a crew of about 60 to keep the 13 helicopters flying through daily missions around Helena, the occasional needs of the state and the war zone.

Each helicopter has been in theater at least once during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

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