“How do we put a price on freedom?” asked Montrose Mayor Kathy Ellis, in her address to the 928th members. “What price do we place on keeping our nation safe? Recognizing the sacrifices of those who have gone before to protect us, I do not believe we can place a value on any of these. Words are inadequate. Gestures of appreciation are minimal by comparison.”

The Soldiers were the guests of honor in a parade down Main Street. Local community members, organizations and first responders participated in the upbeat celebration, which was followed by a gathering of dignitaries, friends and families of the Soldiers at a formal ceremony at Friendship Hall.

“It was just amazing to see so many people out there supporting these men and women,” said Mickey Hunt, deputy director, Colorado Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.

From February to December 2011, the Soldiers were deployed to various regions of Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, where they planned, executed and manned four operational sites stretching across more than 200 miles from Bagram to Khowst. The unit provided sick call, dental, ancillary and medevac services.

“What you, as Soldiers, do for us to ensure our freedoms and our safety is priceless,” Ellis told the Soldiers. “Thank you for all you have sacrificed for us.”

Among the unit’s accomplishments:

The 928th command team devised a plan to expedite medical laboratory deliveries, reducing delivery from two weeks to less than three days. In addition, the Soldiers managed and logged a combined 130 out-of-the-wire missions.

The Treatment Platoon responded to 145 in-flight emergencies, 1,360 ambulance calls, 1,320 dustoff patient movements, nearly 5,000 X-rays and CT scans, 600 emergency calls, more than 4,100 medevac missions and treated more than 9,000 patients.

928th ASMC Soldiers in Khowst completed 80 patient movements to Germany, 500 mental health evaluations, 900 dental procedures, 6,500 laboratory tests and saw 9,200 sick-call and trauma patients.

At the Camp Eggers and New Kabul Compound medical treatment facilities in Kabul, 928th ASMC Soldiers conducted sick-call operations and treated more than 15,000 personnel. They also provided comat lifesaver training to more than 700 U.S. and NATO personnel, foreign nationals and contractors.

In total, the Soldiers of the 928th AMSC treated more than 41,000 patients, performed more than 4,900 X-ray and CT scan exams, 4,200 medevac missions, 6,500 laboratory tests, 500 combat stress exams, and 900 dental procedures.