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HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah — More than 200 airmen from the 388th and 419th fighter wings arrived home Saturday afternoon after a nearly seven-month deployment to Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan.
For Airman 1st Class Jill Welch, that means time with daughters Reagan, 6, and Rilan, 3, whose attention span "was not very long" while trying to stay in touch with mom over Skype. Her husband, Ryan, held a big bouquet of flowers as the family found their own spot on the tarmac to get a good look at each other — similar to hundreds reunions going on around them.
"Just to see their faces," Welch said, looking at her girls. "It's amazing."
We are one of the busiest F-16 units in the Air Force, and we continue to play a crucial role in deterring attacks on coalition ground troops.
–Col. Scott Long
About 30 members of the Patriot Guard, holding American flags, formed a corridor between the chartered airliner and the hangar at Hill where the families were waiting. But the flag bearers were almost instantly surrounded once the returning service members started coming down the stairs from the plane and their families rushed out to meet them.
The group follows a dozen F-16s, their pilots and 36 additional airmen who returned to Hill April 15.
All are assigned to the 4th Fighter Squadron and 4th Aircraft Maintenance Unit and deployed in September. Their primary mission was to provide close air support for coalition ground troops. Nearly 20 Air Force reservists from the 419th Fighter Wing volunteered to deploy alongside their active duty counterparts.
"We are one of the busiest F-16 units in the Air Force, and we continue to play a crucial role in deterring attacks on coalition ground troops," said Col. Scott Long, 388th Fighter Wing Commander, who flew in Afghanistan during most of the deployment.
Laura Medel is the mother of one of two babies born to a service member during the deployment. Carlos Villalopos has seen a lot of pictures of his new daughter, Isabella, but Medel says he has a lot to catch up on, "including changing diapers, of course. She's starting to teethe now, so he gets to be here for that."
Simone St. Laurent, the lead key spouse for the 4th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, said family support coordinators made sure the homecoming was a family event. The inside of the hangar where families waited for the returning troops had a sprawling buffet and gift bags donated by area businesses. There were also tables where kids could play games or color welcome-home posters.
"It's as much about (the children) missing mom and dad as it is about anybody else," said coordinator Cheryl Costello, who said feedback from the waiting families had been positive. "I've heard over and over that people have never felt so welcome."
"It's a community event," said Col. Keith Knudson, 419th Figher Wing Commander, whose reservists served alongside their active-duty counterparts from the 388th.
"Each voluntarily deployed, putting their civilian career and personal life on hold. I also greatly appreciate the sacrifices of their families and their full-time civilian employers, who've been making due without them these past months and who make it possible for our truly outstanding airmen to deploy in support of our nation's efforts," Knudson said.
Each voluntarily deployed, putting their civilian career and personal life on hold. I also greatly appreciate the sacrifices of their families and their full-time civilian employers, who've been making due without them these past months and who make it possible for our truly outstanding airmen to deploy in support of our nation's efforts.
–Col. Keith Knudson
Most of the families of the reservists from the 419th are long-time Utah residents, which isn't the case nearly as much for the active-duty fighter wing from the 388th.
Cindy Bennett and her whole family traveled from Long Beach to see her son Brandon return. The group's schedule has changed a number of times, making it harder for the out-of-town families to plan their trip to Utah for the homecoming. But Bennett said her family wouldn't have missed Saturday's event.
"I'm proud of him. He's my son. He's my hero. I love him like no other. I worried about him every night," she said just before the group's plane landed. "I don't know what I'm going to say because my emotions are running so high right now. I don't know what to say other than grab him and hug him — probably just look him in the eye to know he's here."
For Carley Hubbard, her reunion with Brandon Gerke will be the first time they have seen each other face to face in a dozen years. Hubbard said they were boyfriend/girlfriend in elementary and middle school but then moved to different states.
They reconnected while Gerke was in Afghanistan. "We've talked every day since, Skyped, talked on the phone, and it's been like this immediate chemistry." So she flew in from Atlanta and has big plans. "I kinda already feel it," she said. It's like chapter three of Brandon and Carley."
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