FORT IRWIN, Calif. -- An activation ceremony established B Company, 229th Aviation Regiment within 2916th Aviation Battalion, 916th Support Brigade here, Oct. 16.
During the ceremony, Lt. Col. William Garber -- commander of the 2916th AVN BN -- uncased the company's guidon. Afterward, Garber passed it to company commander, Capt. Jesse DeJaynes, who then handed the colors to the unit's first sergeant, 1st Sgt. Jeffrey Cammack.
The "Flying Tigers" company operates the MQ-1C Gray Eagle unmanned aircraft system. The mission of the 128 Soldiers in the company will be to provide dedicated, mission-configured, UAS support to division combat aviation, fires and battlefield surveillance brigades, brigade combat team and other Army and Joint Force units.
The aircraft provides a tremendous combat advantage, said Garber.
"[It] has the ability to cover vast distances and go where no manned aircraft could possibly go and, when necessary, the ability to conduct a kinetic strike," Garber said. "The aircraft can stay aloft for almost a day, carry four Hellfire missiles and look down from 18,000 feet and know if your shoes are tied."
Garber praised DeJaynes as the right leader for the new unit.
"Bravo, 229th Flying Tigers begin their new equipment training next month and by the summer of 2015 will be ready to deploy nine aircraft, worldwide, in support of contingency operations," Garber said.
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