[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Pages 9770-9771]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              RECOGNIZING THE ARKANSAS AIR NATIONAL GUARD

  Mrs. LINCOLN. Mr. President, today I pay tribute to our Arkansas Air 
National Guard and their efforts to keep our Nation safe. In 
particular, I recognize the members of the 188th Fighter

[[Page 9771]]

Wing, who are returning home throughout May after a 2 month deployment 
overseas.
  The airmen spent 2 months at Kandahar Airfield in southern 
Afghanistan, flying 12 to 16 flights a day. Their day-and-night 
operations supported the ground troops who were fighting enemy 
insurgents. The work in Afghanistan was the unit's first combat 
deployment using A-10s. The unit flew F-16s until April 2007, including 
during their 4 month deployment in 2005 to Balad Air Base in Iraq.
  Along with all Arkansans, I honor these servicemen and women for 
their bravery, and I am grateful for their service and sacrifice.
  More than 11,000 Arkansans on active duty and more than 10,000 
Arkansas reservists have served in Iraq or Afghanistan since September 
11, 2001. It is the responsibility of our Nation to provide the tools 
necessary to care for our country's returning servicemembers and honor 
the commitment our Nation made when we sent them into harm's way. Our 
grateful Nation will not forget them when their military service is 
complete. It is the least we can do for those whom we owe so much.

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