Together Once Again

Published June 23, 2017
By Tech. Sgt. Stephen Schester
Air Force Reserve Command Public Affairs

ROBINS AFB, Georgia -- When serving in the armed forces, at times it may feel you are part of two families. You have your biological family and your military family. When you’re forced away from either, a certain void may be present in your life.

On May 5, a family was brought back together 633 days after it was broken up. Air Force Reserve Command’s 4th Combat Camera Squadron was reactivated at Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina, to serve in a total force construct with the active-duty 1st CTCS.

The 4th CTCS, located at March Air Reserve Base, California, was inactivated in July 2015. It’s been a long 20 months for the 50 traditional reservists and three full-timers who make up the squadron, which is commanded by Maj. Hamilton Underwood and is the only Reserve combat camera squadron in the Air Force.

Although the 4th CTCS has relocated across the country, its mission of documenting war fighting, aiding in decision-making, supporting information operations and telling the Air Force story has not changed.

As a recently departed member of the squadron who was part of its inactivation and now reactivation, it unequivocally feels like a family has been brought back together after a long separation. This unit is not just a military organization. It was, and is, a tight-knit collaboration of talented and steadfast Airmen who have each other’s back. It was my family away from my family.

“Being stood back up as a squadron finally, after all this time, makes me feel like I’m home, like I’m back with my family,” Staff Sgt. Amy Picard, a photojournalist, said after the reactivation ceremony.

Her sentiments were echoed by numerous photographers and broadcasters, a large number of whom now travel long distances at their own expense to serve next to their brothers and sisters.

AFRC inactivated the squadron as a result of Department of Defense budget cuts. For 19 years, the California-based squadron played a vital role in documenting U.S. exercises and operations. Members of the squadron traveled the globe. They witnessed humanitarian crises firsthand through their lenses. They braved combat zones and were awarded numerous combat achievement medals, combat action badges and two Purple Hearts. They won countless video and photography awards. They saw and did it all as a Reserve unit.

Following the inactivation, the remaining members of the squadron were placed in individual mobilization augmentee status at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. Our temporary home in Texas was a reality but was not easy to accept. And it was a necessary step to secure the future of the 4th.

The old home in building 601 at March ARB was gone, and channeling through IMA waters can be choppy. But members of the 4th stayed the course, served their IMA commitment and awaited the announcement of the new squadron location.

“At times, no destination was certain, and the timeline just kept extending and extending,” Underwood said.

The announcement finally came, and the squadron had found a new home on the East Coast with a new permanent ZIP code. The separated family was coming back together.

On the day of the reactivation, this proud former combat camera photojournalist had the opportunity to interview some current members and reflect on what it means for the 4th to be officially activated again.

“It means a lot,” said Staff Sgt. Garrett Wake, a broadcaster. “We went from the worst possible scenario (being inactivated) and you don’t have a home anymore and your mission has ended. And now, a year and a half later, to finally be here standing up and being part of a unit again, it’s amazing.”

“To be honest with you, I didn’t know what was going to happen to us. But I am glad to see the unit come back again,” said Tech. Sgt. Efren Lopez, a highly decorated squadron photographer.

The joy was evident that day as the members of the squadron celebrated their reactivation but also reflected on the journey to this point and how the theme of “family” kept coming up.

“Being stood up as the 4th Combat Camera Squadron here in Charleston feels like we are one big, more structured, family,” said Tech. Sgt. Joselito Aribuabo, a photojournalist.

That small, structured family of photographers, broadcasters and officers may have been broken up in 2015. But no matter if it’s West Coast, East Coast, biological or military … a strong family always finds a way to come back together. This family just happened to take 633 days.