Photo By Master Sgt. William Hopper | A returning deployed Airman at the 122nd Fighter Wing in Fort Wayne, Ind., embraces...... read more read more
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FORT WAYNE, Ind. - The 122nd Fighter Wing and over 1,000 family members and friends welcomed home more than 300 Indiana Air National Guard members from their six-month deployment in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Inherent Resolve, April 22, 2015, at the Fort Wayne Guard Base.
Deployed Oct. 15, 2014, the unit was originally scheduled to support an operational exercise in the U.S. Central Command region, 386th Air Expeditionary Wing, Southwest Asia. The unit was instead sent to Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, and then in late November 2014, transitioned to the 332nd Air Expeditionary Group, working closely with coalition partners. There, they were one of the first units of the Air National Guard to project airpower against the enemy, standing up operations to support Operation Inherent Resolve.
“When we came to our current base, our maintenance and operations folks had six tents each with no power and no communications,” said Lt. Col. Bill Leahy, 163rd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron commander. “Seven days later we were flying 24-hour combat operations in Iraq and Syria. Our guys have done an amazing job with very little. It shows the versatility and flexibility of the A-10 and the maintainers and operators who accomplish our mission.”
“This deployment has been a unique and outstanding moment in Blacksnake history,” said Col. Patrick R. Renwick, 122nd Fighter Wing Commander. “The 122nd has never before completed a deployment for such a length of time with so many members taking part at once. The fact that over 300 Blacksnakes were overseas meeting and exceeding mission expectations for over half a year is a testament to their experience, training and endurance as a wing. The 122nd has established itself the proven choice as a warfighter.”
The 122nd Fighter Wing is one of the first Air National Guard bases in history to take on a mission of this size and length relative to previous 122nd Fighter Wing deployments. In the past, it was rare for an entire Air Package, consisting of operations and maintenance personnel, to deploy overseas for any period of time close to six months.
“I don't know of a time in Blacksnake history we have taken this kind of aviation footprint forward,” said Renwick, “The A-10 “Warthog” is uniquely suited for the Combatant Commander's needs, and the Blacksnakes are the right team to bring that capability to combat.”
The A-10 Thunderbolt II from the 163rd EFS performed more than 19 percent of all missions in this theater of operations expending nearly 50,000 rounds of ammunition and dropped approximately 500 bombs and maverick missiles in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.
"They're doing the nation's business, and they're doing it well," said Renwick. “The mission was to deliver combat firepower decisively and they did that in fine fashion."
The Airmen were deployed after extensive preparation, ranging from cultural awareness to weapons qualification to medical training, having taken part in exercises Red Flag, Alaska and Green Flag, Louisiana, as well as pre-deployment training. Members and their families were prepared by taking part in Yellow Ribbon training and other pre-deployment functions. They carried out the same job overseas that they had been training monthly for at the 122nd Fighter Wing as drill status guardsmen.
“The Airmen of the 122nd Fighter Wing are trained and ready to answer our nation's call to duty,” said Renwick. “The Air National Guard and the Blacksnakes are a proven choice in combat, I have no doubt we can accomplish any mission assigned!”
The wing members were deployed through some major 2014 holidays, many monumental family moments and a few cases, the birth of their children. Members were in contact with their loved ones through social media, email and the occasional Skype or FaceTime. Sacrifice seems to be a constant for the men and women of the U.S. military, the Air Force, the Air National Guard and the 122nd Fighter Wing. The 122nd Fighter Wing has had over 2000 service member’s volunteer for deployments around the world since 9-11, to locations including Iraq, Afghanistan, Spain and Japan, within the United States among other locations.
While deployed to be a deputy commander, Col. Michael Stohler, the 122nd’s, Operations Group Commander, assumed command of the 332nd Air Expeditionary Group, Nov. 16, 2014. The 332nd AEG is derived from the historical WWII, 332nd Fighter Group - the famed Tuskegee Airmen.
The 332nd has been activated twice in Southwest Asia, since 1998 as part of Operation Southern Watch and now Operation Inherent Resolve. The provisional unit was last activated as the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing at Balad Air Base, Iraq, and was inactivated on May 8, 2012.
“As Airmen of the 332nd, through our hard work and dedication, we will carry forward the honor (the Red Tails) deserve by remembering their sacrifices and successes,” said Stohler.
The unit returned to “the Fort” April 22, 2015 with the A-10C Warthog’s returning the next day. Much of the unit’s tons of cargo and equipment returned with them. All 12 aircraft that left Fort Wayne in October returned to be immediately inspected by the 122FW Maintenance Support Group, in order to return the jets to full mission capability.
“My goal from the start has been to ensure that 100 percent of our Airmen return from their mission overseas,” said Renwick. “I am humbled to serve and command such a respected wing and am incredibly proud of these returning airmen.”
The adjutant general of the state of Indiana, Maj. Gen. R. Martin Umbarger, when greeting the group, said, “I couldn’t be prouder of the Airman and their families of the 122nd and the sacrifices that they have made for the nation and the state of Indiana.”
Umbarger also read a letter from the governor of Indiana, Mike Pence, recognizing that sacrifice.
The reunion was supported by the Family Readiness Group and other support functions by providing refreshments to the waiting families in the unit’s main hangar. To thank these Airmen for their service, a welcome home celebration will take place at the base in mid-summer, combined with the annual Family Day to include family, friends, coworkers and representatives from USO Indiana and the Fort Wayne Base Community Council.
| Date Taken: | 06.04.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 06.04.2015 16:51 |
| Story ID: | 165523 |
| Location: | FORT WAYNE, IN, US |
| Web Views: | 1,538 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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