2005 information
E4 Specialist Kamalita Hinojosa is based at Jefferson, Iowa (185th Rear Operation Center). She took her basic training and AIT at Fort Jackson, South Carolina.
She took her administrative specialist training in Aikido, Japan (Yama Sakura). Combat duties: 9/11 Homeland Security, Operation Enduring Freedom,
Operation Iraqi Freedom from February 10, 2003, to March 6, 2004. Kami received the Iowa Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Soldier of the Year (2002)
award and was an Advanced Individual Honor Training Student. She also received the following ribbons and medals: Overseas Training, Army Commendation,
Military Service, Operation Iraqi Freedom and National Defense.
Karmalita Hinojosa
(April 5, 2004 information)
Kami joined the Iowa National Guard as a senior in high school on October 28, 2000. She is an active member of the Jefferson 185th Rear Operation Center (ROC) as a 71 L, administrative specialist and holds the rank of E-4, specialist E-5 promotable.
She attended Basic Training and AIT at Fort Jackson, SC January 3, 2001 to April 26, 2001. After Basic and AIT Kami worked for the Carroll Unit during the summer helping the recruiter and doing recruiting events for both her unit and the Carroll unit. Then she attended Buena Vista University in Storm Lake until January of 2003.
January 2003 Kami went to Japan for their annual training. They spent 18 days in Japan doing training exercises and were called home early on February 4th because they were alerted for Operation Iraqi Freedom. On February 8, 2003 Kami got the official call that they were being sent overseas and that she needed to withdraw from school and report to active duty. They spent two weeks preparing for deployment at Camp Dodge and at their home unit in Jefferson. At the end of those two weeks they reported to Fort Riley Kansas to start the Mobilization Process. Her unit was at Fort Riley approximately two months for training, weapons qualifications and medical screening.
Then they flew into Kuwait April 15, 2004. During her deployment of active duty Kami was stationed at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait and worked Force Protection for their base and the surrounding bases in Kuwait. Her unit took several support missions to Iraq and they had the opportunity to visit several places both in Iraq and in Kuwait.
Kami received the army commendation medal for the Administrative and Support missions that she was part of. She visited Germany, Holland, and France during her two weeks of R&R and came home once on emergency leave. Her unit returned to the United States February 4, 2004, back to Fort Riley to demobilize. They were greeted at their home unit on February 9th for a coming home ceremony that ended their year deployment and active duty time.
Now that Karmalita is home she will be attending Iowa State University and becoming involved with their ROTC program. She will also continue to attend her drill week-ends and be an active member in the Iowa National Guard.