From March to September 2004 and based out of Bagram, Afghanistan, Major James Dimon commanded Bravo Company, 214th Aviation Regiment - part of the 25th Aviation Brigade. Then, during the latter six months of his Operation Enduring Freedom deployment (from September 2004 to March 2005), he served as the primary planner for all deliberate operations conducted by Task Force Pirate, a Utah National Guard Apache helicopter battalion. During his company commander stint, Dimon and his nine Chinook helicopters, in conjunction with Marine Corps and Joint Special Operations Task Force ground units, conducted air assaults against Taliban and Al-Qaeda targets. They also conducted combat support missions by moving large numbers of troops and supplies throughout the country. About the operating environment, Dimon said: "No offense to Iraq, but Afghanistan is the toughest environment for Army aviation. Not just because you have the dust and the desert, but also you have to throw in the high mountains which, with power limitations, is very difficult. So I was worried the first two months,” he added, “and environmental was a bigger concern instead of being engaged.” Dimon also discusses the training his company went through before deploying, the numerous modifications his aircraft underwent prior to and, once in theater, how they performed. In addition, he speaks to the joint aspects of his deployment – specifically working with Marine units; talks about a wide range of signals and human intelligence issues; and also recounts the successes of Operation Shoe Fly, a humanitarian assistance program his company started to provide shoes to Afghan children.

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