Welcome home ceremony planned for Watertown, Aberdeen-based Guard units this weekend

July 21, 2020

ABERDEEN, S.D. – A welcome home ceremony is scheduled for 110 soldiers with the South Dakota Army National Guard’s Alpha Battery, 1-147th Field Artillery Battalion and 147th Forward Support Company at the Aberdeen Civic Center on Saturday at 2:30.

The soldiers are returning home after serving on a 10-month deployment to Europe in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve.

The ceremony will be limited to unit soldiers and their family members, as well as National Guard leadership, to allow for health and social distancing guidelines. The ceremony will be live streamed for public viewing via Facebook.

Planned speakers for the ceremony include Gov. Kristi Noem.

The Aberdeen-based Alpha Battery is equipped with the Multiple Launch Rocket System, and provides artillery support to a brigade, division, corps or coalition task force.

The Watertown-based Forward Support Company is a multi-functional logistics unit which provides supply and maintenance support.

They’ve been demobilizing at Fort Hood, Texas since returning to the U.S.