MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. - More than 50 Marines with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 366 returned to Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point Saturday after a seven-month deployment to the Horn of Africa where the squadron provided support in preventing conflict, promoting regional stability and protecting coalition interests.
Ten other Marines from MCAS Cherry Point based Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 29 returned with HMH-366. The MALS-29 Marines were augmented to provide aviation logistical support for HMH-366 during the deployment.
It was a late in the afternoon as the families of the returning Marines patiently waited at HMH-366’s hangar for their Marines to arrive.
“I am excited to finally get to see him after seven months of being apart,” said Lyndsey N. Goss, wife of Cpl. Kyle J. Goss, an airframe mechanic. “I just look forward to getting to know him again. We have been apart for so long.”
The Marines marched into the hangar to see their awaiting families gathered in front of the formation of Marines, waiting for their dismissal command so they could hold their loved ones once again.
“The hardest part of the deployment was being a single mom and having a full time job on top of it,” Lyndsey said. “It has definitely been hard, but I’m just happy to have him home.”
A deployment can be a struggle for the families back at home, while their Marines are gone for extended periods of time.
“I’m happy to be home,” said Kyle. “I’ve missed so much while I was gone and I want to spend as much time with my family as I can.”
“They did an outstanding job while they were deployed,” said Sgt. Maj. Anthony P. Banks, sergeant major of HMH-366. “Anything they were tasked with, they got done with flying colors.”