75 soldiers with the Illinois National Guard 709th Area Support Medical Company returned Friday to the Bartonville base, after spending about a year in Iraq. They were a part of support operations for Operation New Dawn, the transition of combat operation to Operation Iraqi Freedom. The 709th was the last primary care medical unit to exit Joint Base Balad, successfully ending medical support there.
Motor Sergeant Matt Weaver of Canton says he's glad to be home. Sergeant Weaver says the support assignment is a different dynamic than former combat operations there, but it still was vitally challenging.
The 709th provided primary care to more than 14,000 people, plus provided emergency medical services support for the joint base. The unit compares to a civilian fire department's ambulance service. They conducted more than 250 missions during their deployment.
