The 1st Battalion, 487th Field Artillery of the Hawai'i Army National Guard conducted its transfer of authority ceremony on Nov. 27 at Kuwait Naval Base, marking the official transfer of mission from the 1st-487th to the 1st Battalion, 120th Field Artillery of the Wisconsin Army National Guard.

The 1st-487th, known as the Hiki No (Can Do) battalion, is the first battalion within the 29th Brigade Combat Team to complete its mission in theater since being mobilized in August 2004.

The battalion is scheduled to return to Hawai'i this week. Sixty-one soldiers returned Nov. 17 to act as the advance party in preparation for about 350 more Guard soldiers to return home.

About 2,200 Hawai'i soldiers with the National Guard and Army Reserve have been serving in Iraq and Kuwait since January.

Those in Iraq, including about 100 fire-support personnel from the 1st-487th, are scheduled to return home in January following Dec. 15 parliamentary elections.

The Hiki No battalion was assigned both a security forces mission for southern Kuwait and base-camp operations for Camp Patriot at Kuwait Naval Base and Camp Spearhead at the Seaport of Debarkation.

Temperatures reached 120 degrees, and the deployment was spent largely confined to the U.S. bases on the Persian Gulf.

During their 11-month tour in Kuwait, the battalion provided security for key installations and ports as well as a quick-reaction force for any crisis in southern Kuwait.

Battalion commander Lt. Col. Keith Tamashiro said he was proud of the battalion's accomplishments during its Kuwait deployment.

"What makes this battalion special is the ability and willingness to step up to any challenge, for we believe no task is impossible to accomplish as a team," he said.

"After all, we are Hiki No soldiers and our motto: Hiki No — 'Can Do' has and will continue to carry us through anything."

The 1st-120th from Wisconsin arrived in Kuwait about two weeks ago after conducting training at Camp Shelby, Miss.

The transfer of authority ceremony concluded with the lowering of the Hawai'i flag and the raising of the Wisconsin flag, symbolizing the completion of the battalion's mission.

In attendance was Brig. Gen. Joseph Chaves, commander of the 29th Brigade Command Team.