By NICK YAMASHITA
The Progress
The quote which states: “The task ahead of us is never as great as the power behind us…”, by Ralph Waldo Emerson, has often been adapted to a military setting. The quote gives an insight into the lifetime accomplishments of one Moapa Valley High School alumnus.
On April 12 this year in Phoenix, Arizona, Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Joseph Aldrich assumed command of the 2-285th Assault Helicopter Battalion (AHB) of the Arizona Army National Guard. The 2-285th is composed of nearly 400 Soldiers and 30 UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters, with one company from North Dakota, who is currently deployed. LTC Aldrich also assumed command of three detachments; Detachment 1 Bravo Company 640th Aviation Support Battalion, and Detachments 1 & 2 of Charlie Company 2-149th Air Ambulance. The 2-285th AHB has three primary combat missions: Air Assault, Air Movement, and CASEVAC. On the home front, they can provide support to local and federal law enforcement, provide forest fire-fighting assistance, and search and rescue.
LTC Aldrich was raised in Logandale, Nevada, growing up playing football and wrestling in high school.
“I played sports, but I was not exactly great at it,” said Aldrich.
However, there was one thing he did excel at in high school. That was playing trumpet in the MVHS band, especially the Varsity Pep Band under the direction of Kim Delgadillo.
It was even before his high school graduation in 1997 that his military journey began by enlisting in the Army Reserve as a generator mechanic at the age 17.
“Right after graduating high school, I left for basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina,” said Aldrich.
LTC Aldrich later earned his Baccalaureate degree in Aeronautical Science through Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, where he graduated Summa cum laude and was commissioned to 2nd Lieutenant through the ROTC program in 2002.
In 2003-2004, Aldrich went to Initial Entry Rotary Wing school for the US Army, where he learned to fly the Blackhawk helicopter. Later that year, Aldrich left for his first deployment to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. For 16 months, Aldrich executed over 100 missions and flew over 520 combat hours. “I was deployed a second time to Iraq in 2009-10,” stated Aldrich.
Aldrich also deployed in support of a humanitarian mission to provide medical airlift support to engineers and doctors who were caring for local personnel and building schools in Panama.
“We would fly the medical personnel around to provide free medical support to the people of Panama. We had security help from the Panamanian military; they were real tough-looking guys, as you would expect. We were stationed at Fort Sherman and would go on hikes on our days off to an old Spanish Fort, called San Lorenzo and went swimming in the Chagres River and the ocean. It was quite the experience.”
Besides a short-tour to Panama, Aldrich also flew his Blackhawk helicopter in support of the US Border Patrol in 2006-08 and 2019-20. Aldrich spent most of his time on the border dealing with illegal drug smuggling cartels, illegal human trafficking, and rescue missions.
In 2017, he resigned his active-duty National Guard status, to become a part-time only Soldier, so he could pursue his dream of becoming a commercial airline pilot. Aldrich worked at SkyWest Airlines for two years as a First Officer, before landing his dream job at Frontier Airlines in 2019, where he flies the Airbus A320.
With nearly 25 years of service, Aldrich has served in the US Army Reserves and the Arizona Army National Guard, holding multiple leadership positions. His units include 257th Transportation, 1-189th and the 2-285th Assault Helicopter Battalions, Task Force Raven, Joint Force Headquarter-Arizona, Army Aviation Support Facility #1, Joint Task Force-Arizona, 98th Aviation Troop Command, and the 158th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade (MEB).
However, in 2020, as the 158th MEB Operations Officer, Aldrich assisted in the Phoenix riots during the pandemic.
Lastly, from 1 June to 30 September 2021, LTC Aldrich also assumed command of Task Force Logistics full-time. “Task Force Logistics’ 600 plus Soldiers and Airmen have been supporting the COVID response efforts in Arizona for over a year through support of medical supplies & PPE, Vaccine sites, grocery store support, and food bank support,” said Aldrich.
“I was blessed to have been raised in an outstanding community with an outstanding school. Everyone in the valley played an intricate and huge part in my accomplishments in life. I have to thank everyone for their support and especially Trinity Tanner for persuading me to join the military,” stated Joseph Aldrich.
Aldrich currently resides in Queen Creek, Arizona, with his wife Ashlee Lyon Aldrich (‘98 MVHS Alum), three sons, and one daughter, all ranging in ages 9-17 years old.
