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Mona Shield Payne/Special to the Sun
Senior Airman Matthew Ohara greets his wife, Julie, with a kiss after returning from a four-month deployment in Iraq Sunday at Nellis Air Force Base. Ohara served with the 763rd Maintenance Squadron.
Monday, Sept. 7, 2009 | 2:15 a.m.
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Family and friends welcomed home 110 airmen to Nellis Air Force Base Sunday night just in time for the holiday.
Some families said the traditional Labor Day barbecue means even more this year because they will spend it with loved ones who had been serving a four-month stint in Iraq.
The airmen, assigned to the 58th and 66th Rescue Squadrons and the 763rd Maintenance Squadron, performed combat rescue operations, medical evacuation and humanitarian missions while at Joint Base Balad, north of Baghdad.
While deployed, they provided more than 2,000 hours of alert support, completed more than 400 missions and saved five lives through medevac missions.
The 763rd maintained the HH-60G Pavehawk helicopters used for the missions by both the 58th and the 66th pararescue airmen.
All who deployed returned safely, though a few are returning with equipment later this week, said Lt. Col. Thomas Dorl, commander of the 66th squadron.
“I’m extremely proud of them all,” he said. “The motto that we have in rescue is ‘these things we do, that others may live.’ They definitely embodied that.”
Senior Airman Darrick Tigner, with the 763rd, said the idea of being home would take some time to sink in.
“It feels real good,” he said. “You think about for so long when you’re out there, what it’s going to be like when you get home. Then when it happens, I can’t explain it. It’s surreal.”
The time spent away from loved ones and the comforts of home are always in the back of the mind, said Staff Sgt. Sarah Nicholas.
Nicholas was deployed in Afghanistan when her fellow 763rd members left for Iraq.
The squadron traditionally hosts a welcome home barbecue to get reacquainted and help returning airmen and women readjust to life at home, she said.
“Out there, you’re normally kind of set in specific things you can and can’t do,” she said. “Then coming back here and having the freedom and being around other people and how they are and then trying to adjust back to that. You miss the little things that you can’t do when you’re away.”
Rene Vaiasuso, 10, and her 9-year-old brother, Anthony Jr., spent most of the summer traveling with their grandparents in California to pass the time until their father, Tech Sgt. Anthony Vaiasuso, returned.
“I miss all his hugs when we’re upset,” Rene said.
Anthony Jr. added, “for me, basically, it’s everything.”
Welcome home boys, glad to see that you are safe and back with your love ones.....
Thankyou guys for your heroisim. Because of you guys protecting our country we are able to complain about stupid stuff on these boards. THANKYOU!!!!!!!
Only four months. Not much of a deployment. I am with the Army and this is my third tour. I have done 12 months first one and 10 months second tour. Air force did not go on a tour, a four month exercise. I think the airforce should do longer tours.
If you're really in the army, then you'd know that every branch of the Armed Forces have different missions and different deployments, for obvious reasons. What bears to mind in this excellent article, is the fact that the men and women of the Nellis unit performed admirably in the 4 months of deployment, and have returned as heroes. Thank you for your service.
Back in the "old days," the Marine Corps sent us overseas for 13 months at a time. Although the normal deployment was only 12 months, an additional month was added because it used to take 2 weeks each way by naval vessel. Pretty tricky, huh?
Welcome home guys!
Welcome home and THANK YOU!
WELCOME HOME EVERYONE! It's great to have you all back safe and sound.
Thank you one and all for your selfless service and sacrifices.
God Bless you all.
I dont care how long or short anyone's deployment is or was. I'm grateful to anyone who has been away from home and family to protect me and mine. This isn't a place to whine, lets just be thankful.
Thanks for keeping us safe from the terrorists. We can either fight them here or over there. I say over there.
Congrats to everyone for making it home safe. On month 4 of my second tour, wont see Vegas Again till Feb. Nice work guys.
Thanks from a fellow veteran. That is all.
Glad everyone made it home....
I served honorably for 22 years in the U. S. Army and remember how, back then, a 12 or 13 month tour of hazardous duty was all that was expected in an entire career! Anyone that did more than one full combat tour did so on their own volution, that is to say, voluntarily - so, let's not diminish and disrespect anyone for serving less time!
Even with all my years of military experience, I honestly can not imagine doing constant back-to-back combat tours, with only brief breaks of rest and relaxation, year after year - endlessly!
Never in the history of America has so few, done so much, for so many - words fall short of truly expressing our appreciation, gratitude and debt to all who serve honorably!
One of my best buddies died in a helicopter crash on his first day in Vietnam - I only made it 5 months and 14 days before I was Medevaced (and I really planned on NOT getting wounded - it just didn't work out as I planned)!
There is nothing more beautiful than seeing a Medevac helicopter appear in the sky over you! I remember the sound of it coming in, watching it flare, hover and descend like a giant bird of mercy! The pilots and gunners and crew chief's steely stares of seriousness - and the arms of Medics reaching out with skilled hands to save my life (at the risk of their own) - and how quickly they worked with such compassion and fervor! If you have never experienced such valor...well, words or thanks are NOT nearly enough!
I remember so vividly thinking, "I've lost too much blood, I'm not going to make - I'm doomed at deaths door" - then, the sound of winged angels came to my ears over the gunfire, and the spirit of hope returned, and I remembered I had a duty to hold on until my very last breath!
Whether our guys or gals serve a single day, or four months, or a full year really isn't relevant to the risk they take every minute, of every hour, of every day, week, month and year!
WELCOME HOME TO ALL - AND THANK YOU ALL FROM THE DEPTHS OF MY VERY MIND, HEART & SOUL!
It's as if I was given the gift of life - and a bonus of 37 extra years! Every breath is a blessing and every day is a gift - that's why we call it "The Present!"