Photo By Master Sgt. Christopher Milbrodt | JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (October 7, 2019) -- Airmen of the Florida Air National Guard...... read more read more
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JACKSONVILLE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Fla. – More than 200 Airmen assigned to the Florida Air National Guard’s 125th Fighter Wing returned home to Jacksonville, Florida, Oct. 7, 2019 following a four-month deployment to Southwest Asia.
The deployment, in support of U.S. Central Command operations and the enduring Operation Spartan Shield, marked the wing’s first large-scale, unit-level mobilization in nearly two decades. It also represented a significant milestone in advancing the objectives outlined in the 2018 National Defense Strategy to building a more lethal, resilient joint force and strengthen alliances and partnerships to confront strategic competitors and regional threats.
“This has been a unique deployment, it’s the first time in almost 20 years that we’ve actually conducted combat operations in our F-15 aircraft in an overseas deployment,” said U.S. Air Force Col. George Downs, acting 125th Fighter Wing Operations Group commander. “It’s certainly something we’re very proud of. We train for a long time to get ready for a deployment like this and to be able to go overseas and conduct a mission safely and come home to our friends, family and loved ones. It’s truly a remarkable feeling.”
Pilots, maintainers, logistics personnel and support staff from across the wing were tasked with providing defensive counter-air capabilities, safeguarding coalition assets and strategic interests in the region. Operating under a joint command, the team integrated with active-duty Air Force and coalition forces, reinforcing one of the Air Force’s top priorities: strengthening interoperability with allies and partners.
For many Florida Guardsmen, the deployment provided a valuable opportunity to apply years of training to a real-world mission alongside total force counterparts.
“We definitely learned a lot from our active-duty component,” said Airman 1st Class Huy Dinh, a munition systems apprentice. “It was good to see different processes and ways of doing the job.”
Operation Spartan Shield plays a vital role in maintaining regional stability and deterring aggression in an increasingly contested security environment. The unit’s contribution directly supported the combatant command’s theater security cooperation objectives, highlighting the National Guard’s growing strategic importance in today’s joint force construct.
As part of the Air Force’s focus on readiness and rapid global mobility, the wing’s deployment also underscored the critical role of National Guard units in agile combat employment to ensure forces can deploy quickly, operate flexibly and sustain operations in contested environments.
Upon their return, Airmen were welcomed by a packed hangar filled with family, friends and community partners. As the buses pulled onto the flight line, cheers erupted from the crowd, with families embracing for the first time in months.
“They did awesome,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Richard Coffey, 125th Fighter Wing commander. “We are very excited they’re home, we’re really appreciative of the support we got from the community, employers, family and friends.”
The return of the 125th Fighter Wing’s deployed members signifies not only the successful completion of a high-stakes mission abroad, but also the wing’s continued evolution as a combat-ready force aligned with the demands of modern warfare and national security.
| Date Taken: | 10.07.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 10.08.2019 16:48 |
| Story ID: | 346709 |
| Location: | JACKSONVILLE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, FLORIDA, US |
| Hometown: | JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 138 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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