Senate Recognizes Raven Industries' Support for Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan

Sioux Falls, SD, September 12, 2011 - Raven Aerostar has been recognized by U.S. Senator Tim Johnson for their service and dedication to excellence in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. Since the inception of Persistent Ground Surveillance Systems (PGSS), Raven Aerostar has designed, manufactured and serviced tethered aerostats that hover over military outposts in hostile areas and provide continuous imagery used to detect insurgent activity. From mid-July through early August, Raven Aerostar sent three of their team members (Ryan Casey, Pat Thies, and Walter Halbleib) to Afghanistan on a six-week mission to offer real-time, onsite technical expertise. In addition to their onsite proficiency, the team gathered feedback for Aerostar engineers, which has been examined and utilized in recent design improvements. The Senator described the effort as, "A job well done. They and their fellow Raven Aerostar employees represent the commitment to service so prevalent throughout our great state of South Dakota." Ryan Casey, one of the three Raven Aerostar team members that went to Afghanistan, described the experience by saying, "When you witness in real-time the end result of the intelligence and surveillance our systems provide, it really hits home just how important the work is that we do right here in Sioux Falls. Raven Aerostar is helping to save lives."

Raven Industries, Inc.
P.O. Box 5107, Sioux Falls, SD 57117-5107
PH: (605) 336-2750