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Special ops aviation company deactivated

A deactivation ceremony was held at Hunter Army Airfield, Ga., for D Company, 3rd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), as part of an overall regimental transformation plan.

The company was deactivated April 24.

Battalion commander Lt. Col. Walter Rugen said in a U.S. Army Special Operations Command press release that “transformation is painful, but there is much to be gained as well.”

“This team was born and thrived in Panama and that tradition carried on in Puerto Rico and is the embodiment of what we in our community are always trying to attain – that of a pure habitual relationship born of training, living, sleeping, eating and fighting,” he said in the release. “This is what cannot and will not be cased or drawn down as D/160 goes.”

The company began as the 617th Aviation Detachment Special Operations (Airborne) on June 21, 1987, at Howard Air Force Base, Panama.

The unit was comprised of former elements of Task Force 160, the 129th Special Operations Aviation Company, Special Forces Group Flight Detachments and volunteers from the 1st Battalion, 228th Aviation Regiment, according to the release.

In July 1994, the detachment was re-designated D Company, 160th SOAR and was the first forward-based Army Special Operations Aviation unit, pioneering the way for overseas organizations.

The company was relocated in 1999 to Naval Station Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico, and then moved to Hunter Army Airfield in 2003. Under 3rd Battalion the company had a dual mission supporting both U.S. Southern and Central commands during its last five years.

During this time, the Night Stalkers supported special operations ground forces form 3rd Special Forces Group and the Navy SEALS in Central and South America.

“We deactivate today while some members of our company are deployed to combat and others are preparing to leave,” the company’s last commander Maj. Chad Chasteen said in the release. “I am proud to say that I fought with you.”

Some D Company soldiers will make a short move to C Company, 3rd Battalion, whose 3rd platoon will now solely handle the SOCSOUTH aviation mission. Others will fill evolving roles in 4th Battalion at Fort Lewis, Wash., the release said.