JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. – About 130 Soldiers from the 5th Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery Regiment, 17th Fires Brigade, will be reunited with their families and friends at a welcome home ceremony currently scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 20 at 7:30 a.m. at Soldiers Field House. 5-3 FA deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in October 2009. About 150 Soldiers from the unit’s Alpha battery redeployed to JBLM about a month ago.
While deployed, members of the unit supported numerous missions in support of the NATO-led International Security and Assistance Force. The battalion was headquartered at Forward Operation Base Sharana (FOB Sharana).
* The battalion’s Alpha battery was assigned to US Forces-Afghanistan (USAF) Regional Command- East (at FOB Sharana and Bagram Airfield).
* The battalion’s Charlie Battery was assigned to the USAF Regional Command-South (FOB Boldak and Kandahar Airfield).
The unit provided personnel for missions that included: convoy security for route-clearance patrols, and detainee operations. Other members of the unit were assigned to the USAF-South Mine Action Center, the FOB Sharana Base Defense Operations Center, and the FOB Sharana Mayor’s Cell.