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Homestead reservists return from Iraq

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Erik Hofmeyer
  • 482nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs
HOMESTEAD AIR RESERVE BASE, Fla. --  More than 260 Air Force reservists received a warm homecoming Aug. 13 as they returned from a deployment to Balad Air Base, Iraq.

Buses took the Airmen from the flightline to a reception area where hundreds of family members, friends, elected officials and local media representatives awaited their arrival. Banners from previous 482nd Fighter Wing overseas campaigns hung from the ceiling of Building 200. Food, balloons and "welcome home" signs added to the festive atmosphere.

Waiting reservists formed into two parallel reception lines where they stood at the position of attention, ready for the returning servicemembers to pass through as they stepped off the buses and headed toward the welcome home party. The song "We are the Champions" blared over the sound system.

Col. Randy Falcon, 482nd FW commander, congratulated the returning reservists home after the initial outpouring of emotion calmed. He said the wing's 93rd Fighter Squadron received glowing reports from overseas.

"It was fantastic," said Senior Master Sgt. Alan Simmons, 482nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron supervisor, when describing the homecoming. "It was quite a surprise."

Most of the reservists arrived home before their F-16 fighter jets. Five of the aircraft flew back Aug. 14, and the other five returned the next day.

Some of the reservists were in Iraq for as little as a month. Others were there for up to four months supporting U.S. and Coalition ground forces in Iraq. The Airmen represented the gamut of maintenance specialties needed to generate hundreds of close-air support and surveillance and reconnaissance missions.

"It was a very successful deployment," Sergeant Simmons said. "I volunteered knowing that we would greatly help our servicemembers on the ground."

Reservists in the 482nd FW train year-round to ensure they and their equipment remain combat-ready and able to deploy worldwide.

They are familiar with overseas deployments. They supported Operations Northern and Southern Watch, patrolling no-fly zones over Iraq, as well as Operation Iraqi Freedom in Iraq and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. At home, they patrolled the skies over the United States in Operation Noble Eagle. (Air Force Reserve Command News Service)