34th Combat Aviation Brigade

The 34th Combat Aviation Brigade (34th CAB) is a Combat Aviation Brigade unit of the Minnesota Army National Guard that supports the 34th Infantry Division and the state of Minnesota by providing aviation capabilities. The brigade is based in Saint Paul and uses UH-60 Black Hawk and CH-47 Chinook helicopters, and Beechcraft C-12 Huron fixed-wing aircraft for federal and state missions.

The Minnesota-based subordinate units of the 34th CAB are the 2nd Battalion, 147th Assault Helicopter Battalion, the 834th Aviation Support Battalion, C Company, 1st General Support Aviation Battalion, 171st Aviation Regiment, B Company and C Company of the 2nd Battalion, 211th General Support Aviation Battalion, and F Company, 1-189 Aviation Regt., General Support Aviation Battalion.

Outside Minnesota, the 34th CAB provides training and operational guidance to the 1st Battalion, 112th Aviation Regiment of the N.D., the 1st Battalion, 189th Aviation of the Montana and Missouri National Guard and the 1st Battalion, 183rd Aviation Regiment of the Idaho National Guard.

Structure
While under state control, the brigade consists of the following aviation elements:


 * 147 Avn Rgt DUI.jpg Company A, 2nd Assault Helicopter Battalion, 147th Aviation Regiment
 * 834_Spt_Bn_DUI.png 834th Aviation Support Battalion
 * 211 Avn Rgt DUI.jpg Company B, 2nd General Support Aviation Battalion, 211th Aviation Regiment
 * 211 Avn Rgt DUI.jpg Company C, 2nd General Support Aviation Battalion, 211th Aviation Regiment
 * 147 Avn Rgt DUI.jpg Company F, 1st General Support Aviation Battalion, 189th Aviation Regiment
 * Company C, 1st General Support Aviation Battalion, 171st Aviation Regiment

The brigade also provides training and operational guidance for the following units:


 * 113 Avn Rgt DUI.jpg 1st Surveillance and Security Battalion, 112th Aviation Regiment (ND ARNG)
 * 183 Avn Rgt DUI.jpg 1st Attack Helicopter Battalion, 183rd Aviation Regiment (ID ARNG)
 * 189 Avn Rgt DUI.jpg 1st General Support Aviation Battalion Battalion, 189th Aviation Regiment (MT ARNG and MO ARNG)

History

 * 2008-2009 More than 700 34th Combat Aviation Brigade soldiers deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan.


 * 2010 The Saint Cloud-based B, 2nd General Support Aviation Battalion, 211th Aviation Regiment, departed in November for a deployment in support of Operation New Dawn. Flying CH-47 Chinook cargo helicopters, the Company B mission is to provide aerial movement of troops, equipment and supplies for support of maneuver, combat and combat service support operations.

In June, the 34th CAB participated in a full-spectrum Warfighter Exercise with the 40th Infantry Division at Fort Leavenworth. During this exercise, the brigade staff was able to successfully integrate with different levels of command and adjacent units.
 * 2013 In May, the 34th Combat Aviation Brigade provided CH-47 and UH-60 helicopters and personnel to local government agencies to fight and contain three wildfires in northwest Minnesota. In 2013, the 34th Combat Aviation Brigade welcomed home the St. Cloud-based Company C, 2nd General Support Aviation Battalion, 211th Aviation Regiment from a deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom where they conducted more than 650 medical evacuation missions and flew 1,700 accident-free flight hours. The company also received six new CH-47F Chinook helicopters and trained more than 30 personnel in their operation.