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Sweet Home Alabama: 908th deployers return

  • Published
  • By Gene H. Hughes
  • 908th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. --  Approximately 150 members of the 908th Airlift Wing returned to here Sept. 17-18 after a four-month deployment to Southwest Asia. The main body arrived via a commercial airliner, while the unit's C-130 Hercules transports and aircrews arrived separately. 

Members of the wing deployed in May to provide airlift support for U.S Central Command in Operation Iraqi Freedom, recently renamed Operation New Dawn.

In addition to taking part in overseas contingency operations, two 908th aircrews helped deliver more than 60,000 pounds of food and supplies during humanitarian relief missions in Pakistan after that country was struck by devastating floods in late July.

It has been an active year for the 908th. After being certified deployment ready by Air Mobility Command during its operational readiness inspection in December, the unit worked to prepare for duty overseas. Several unit reservists, mostly medical and aerial port Airmen, departed for a four-month tour in Southwest Asia in January.

The wing also provided rapid humanitarian response earlier this year when earthquakes struck Haiti. In all, about 400 of the 1,200 members of the wing have deployed this year.

"We're very proud of the sacrifices made by our warriors and their families," said Col. Robert H. Shepherd, 908th Airlift Wing commander. "Their efforts during the deployment, to include forward deploying to support a significant humanitarian relief operation, were vital to our nation's defense and in keeping with our tradition of service."