CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
The North American Airlines flight carrying more than 115 Airmen from the 17th Airlift Squadron touched down at Charleston AFB in the early morning hours Sunday.
The 17 AS returned from a 120-day deployment in Southwest Asia to a crowd filled with moms and dads, husbands and wives, boyfriends and girlfriends, as well as children in their pajamas waving miniature American flags.
The squadron was initially due to return to Charleston around 4 p.m. Saturday, May 3, however, due to bad weather, their homecoming was delayed nine hours.
As soon as the first Airman of the 17 AS stepped off the aircraft, the crowd cheered and clapped as everyone anxiously waited for their loved ones outside the passenger terminal.
One by one, the 17 AS began to empty out of the plane.
"I literally have goose bumps right now," said Jill Masters, wife of 1st Lt. Nick Masters.
Waiting with her was Shannon Jeffries, girlfriend of 1st Lt. Brook Heiling.
"I'm feeling excited, nervous and joy all at the same time," she said. "It's a feeling I've never experienced before."
Col. John "Red" Millander, 437th Airlift Wing commander and Command Chief Master Sgt. Bernise Belcer were also on hand to help welcome home the members of Team Charleston.
Many of the Airmen and their families are planning on taking a few weeks to spend time together and readjust to life at home.
"We have plans with our family," said Airman 1st Class Matthew Skvarna. His wife Mitzelle add, "I feel like I have a normal life back."
While deployed, the Airmen of the 17 AS served under the 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron and supported Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom and provided airlift support to the president during his recent trip to the Horn of Africa.
The 17 AS Airmen logged more than 7,000 hours in the C-17 Globemaster III and delivered more than 110 million pounds of cargo, and transported more than 130,000 warriors throughout the area of responsibility, said Lt. Col. Scott DeThomas, 17 AS commander.
The squadron also set new airdrop records for the 816 EAS. They performed more than 21 airdrop missions to 40 different drop zones, resulting in close to 1 million pounds of supplies being delivered to warfighters at various forward operating bases.
The 816 EAS was instrumental in the Air Force Central Command's highest monthly total by transporting more than 119,000 passengers and more than 41,000 short tons in the month of March, said Colonel DeThomas.
"It was simply amazing to watch this great team perform so well throughout the 120-day deployment," he said. "Despite long days and austere conditions at forward operating bases, the Airmen of the 816 EAS delivered the 'fight to the enemy' magnificently well and are truly heroes in my book. I am extremely proud to have served in combat with each and every one of them."