Senator Amy Klobuchar

Working for the People of Minnesota

Press Contact

Joel Gross
Press Secretary
(202) 224-3244

News Releases

Senator Klobuchar Visits Minnesota National Guard at Iraq Departure Ceremony

August 4, 2008

Lawton, O.K. – Today U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar joined Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, Congresswoman Betty McCollum, and Adjutant General Larry Shellito in Fort Sill, Oklahoma, to participate in the Iraq departure ceremony for the Saint Paul-based 34th Combat Aviation Brigade of the Minnesota National Guard.

"This is your moment to shine, this is what you have trained and practiced for," said Klobuchar. "This is a country that wraps our arms around those who serve and sacrifice for us. We are deeply grateful, every day, for your service to our country as citizen-soldiers.”

The Saint Paul-based nonprofit group “Serving Our Troops” provided a steak luncheon to the soldiers and their family members who were present.
 
More than 700 Minnesota members of the 34th Combat Aviation Brigade will soon deploy to Iraq.  Members of the Brigade will command, direct, maintain and operate "Blackhawk" utility helicopters, CH-47 "Chinook" cargo helicopters and "Apache" attack helicopters.
 
For nearly three months, the soldiers of the 34th Combat Aviation Brigade have been conducting pre-deployment training at Fort Sill in Lawton, Oklahoma.
 
Klobuchar also spoke to the Minnesota members of the Brigade and their families at their home-state departure ceremony in May at the Xcel Center in Saint Paul.
 
###

Senator Klobuchar’s Offices

302 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Main Line: 202-224-3244
Main Fax: 202-228-2186
Toll Free: 1-888-224-9043

1200 Washington Avenue South, Suite 250
Minneapolis, MN 55415
Main Line: 612-727-5220
Main Fax: 612-727-5223
Toll Free: 1-888-224-9043

1134 7th Street NW
Rochester, MN 55901
Main Line: 507-288-5321
Fax: 507-288-2922

121 4th Street South
Moorhead, MN 56560
Main Line: 218-287-2219
Fax: 218-287-2930

Olcott Plaza, Suite 105
820 9th Street North
Virginia, MN 55792
Main Line: 218-741-9690
Fax: 218-741-3692