167th deploys Airmen to multiple locations

167th Airlift Wing, West Virginia Air National Guard
Story by Senior Master Sgt. Emily Beightol-Deyerle

Date: 02.04.2018
Posted: 02.06.2018 11:21
News ID: 264873
167th deploys Airmen to multiple locations

More than 70 members of the 167th Airlift Wing deployed to locations in southwest Asia and Africa in October and January.

Nine Airman departed in October and 65 more deployed last month to fulfill duties overseas as part of the wing’s assigned Reserve Component Period.

A RCP is the specific time frame during which the majority of a unit’s Airmen could potentially deploy.

Airmen assigned to the 167th’s wing headquarters staff and the mission support group were tasked for the deployments.

The wing has not seen this many Airman deployed for this length of time since it operated C-130 aircraft. In 2005, more than 400 Airmen assigned to the 167th AW were deployed to Germany and Puerto Rico.

Twenty one percent of the mission support group’s personnel are currently deployed.

Col. Rodney Neely, 167th Mission Support group commander, said his group used a three-prong approach to maintain functions and to continue to prepare, equip and train the Wing with reduced staffing.

“We developed and executed a plan to backfill those deployed in Civil Engineering, Force Support, Communications, Security and Logistics Readiness; we educated the base on expectation management and finally, all group members left at home station are stepping up to close the vacancy gap,” Neely said.

Col. Shaun Perkowski, 167th Airlift Wing commander, acknowledged the sacrifices made by not only the deployed Airman, but also their family, friends and co-workers.

“It seems that any sort of time away from home results in some sort of challenge at home or the work place and our family, friends, employers and co-workers make our deployment possible by carrying forward each day while we are gone,” Perkowski said.

Deployed Airmen and their family members are encouraged to contact their supervisor or Airman and Family Programs manager, Sherry Lewis, at 304-616-5590 if a need arises.