Joint Base Charleston
Patriot
Vol. 2, No. 26
Team Charleston – One Family, One Mission, One Fight!
Friday, July 8, 2011
17 AS returns from 120-day deployment By Michaela Judge 628th Airlift Wing Public Affairs Numerous friends and family members gathered at Joint Base Charleston-Air Base July 1 to welcome home more than 120 Airmen from the 17th Airlift Squadron returning from overseas. The 17 AS completed a 120-day deployment in the Middle East, where they provided ongoing airlift downrange to support combat operations. While deployed, the Airmen of the 17 AS served under the 817th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, headquartered at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, supporting combat operations in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. Despite it being nearly midnight when the squadron returned, a large crowd of fathers, mothers, spouses, children and friends gathered on the flight line with American flags, colorful welcome home signs and balloons where they eagerly anticipated the plane's arrival. As the wheels officially touched the tarmac, the crowd broke into applause and cheers for their loved ones' return home. Shannon Heiling, one of many spouses on the flight line that night, waited anxiously for her husband, Capt. Brook Heiling, as more than one hundred Airmen began exiting the aircraft. "Your heart just starts beating, and there's just excitement and you see all the guys and you're looking for your one specific one," she said. One by one, members of the 17 AS exited the aircraft where they received a warm welcome from base leadership and excited friends and family members who rushed to greet them with open arms. After reuniting with her husband after four months apart, Heiling said it was hard to put into words how she felt. "It's tough to have him gone. I'm glad he's home." Equally as excited to be home with his wife, Heiling, a pilot with the 17 AS, said, "It's just hard being away from your wife and loved ones. I was excited, and just couldn't wait to give her a hug, give her a kiss and be able to spend some time with her and everything." For many families, having their loved ones arrive home over the Fourth of July weekend meant an extra special celebration. Squadron spouse Jenny O'Brien said that her family, who is relatively new to the area, was looking forward to
INSIDE 17AS
area of responsibility. The squadron also performed 29 combat airdrops, delivering roughly 1.4 million pounds of cargo. "I am proud of the men and women in the 17th AS who served with great distinction during our 120 day deployment to the Middle East," said Lt. Col. Michael Madsen, 17 AS commander. During their time overseas, Madsen said their missions included important contributions made to coalition efforts in both Iraq and Afghanistan. "From our bases throughout the CENTCOM Area of Responsibility, we had a front row seat to the dramatic changes occurring during the Arab spring." In addition to the importance of their deployed mission, Madsen also U.S. Air Force photo Staff Sgt. Nicole Mickle acknowledge the significance of com1st Lt. Grant Daniel Pool greets his daughter Nadia on the flightline July 1 at Joint ing home near Independence Day. "It Base Charleston - Air Base, S.C. Lieutenant Pool was one of more than 120 Airmen is particularly poignant to be returning from the 17th Airlift Squadron returning home after a four-month deployment to the Middle East. While deployed, the Airmen flew roughly 2, 850 sorties and airlifted home from our deployment on the July 4th weekend, as it reminds us that more than 107 million pounds of cargo through out the area of responsibility. we are part of a long tradition serving catching up with friends and seeing what the Charleston area to preserve and protect the liberties enjoyed by our great has to offer. O'Brien's husband, Mark, is an Australian load- nation." master assigned to the 17 AS as part of a three-year exchange The 817 EAS, which includes several detachments program on base. throughout Eurasia and the Middle East, conducts airlift, air"I'm extremely proud of him, and I fully support what he drop and aeromedical evacuation missions daily to provide does," said O'Brien. direct support to the warfighter. The squadron is the second The 817 EAS mission and its importance to the support half of a two-part, expeditionary airlift squadron concept, and sustainment of our other service members is best illus- which was established in 2006. trated through the vast number of sorties, hours flown and Its sister unit, the 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, cargo moved. operates out of a non-disclosed location in the Middle East. Flying the C-17 Globemaster III, the 17 AS Airmen The two-EAS concept provides two airlift hubs at separate flew roughly 2,850 sorties and logged 8,700 combat fly- geographical locations to speed passengers by the hundreds ing hours--a number equivalent to one aircraft flying non- of thousands and pounds of equipment by the millions in and stop for almost one year. out of the fight. Additionally, the squadron airlifted approximately 111 milThe 14 AS deployed from Joint Base Charleston 22 and 24 lion pounds of combat material and 191,000 Airmen, Soldiers, June to serve a 120-day deployment in the Middle East. Sailors, Marines and distinguished visitors throughout the See more photos on Page 8
Charleston has come of age Col. Martha Meekers bids JB CHS farewell By Col. Martha Meeker Joint Base Charleston commander
Home for the Fourth See page 8
RESERVISTS Deliver Haiti aid See page 5
FREEDOM FEST Summer fun at JB CHS - WS See page 9
Operational Readiness Inspection Countdown:
21 Weeks
This is a bittersweet moment as I get ready to pass off the flag and step down as the first Joint Base Commander at Charleston. However, I do so knowing the 628th Air Base Wing and Joint Base Charleston has come of age in the last 18 months and there will be great folks who remain to take the watch behind me. It has been a tremendous experience, and nowhere but Charleston would you find such a quality mix of active duty, Reserve, Department of Defense civilian and contract personnel all supported by a great community. I'd like to especially thank the men and women of the 628th who gave me the honor of their trust and loyalty as we stepped out into this new endeavor. And what an endeavor it has been over the last 18 months. First, we brought men and women together from more than 26 different agencies here in the Lowcountry to form the 628th. We then stepped out to serve more than 79,000 military members and their families and now support the DoD's crown jewel in both transportation and technology. And we've done it all in a one-of-akind community which now boasts back-to-back college baseball world championships ... go Gamecocks! So how did we make this merger of Air Force
and Navy a success? Simply nation's wars, and they are all fantasspeaking, we have the best tic Airmen. For those who remain at people you could ever hope home, they stand next to our phenomfor, people who've made this enal civilian employees such as Glen military the best it has ever Easterby, Linda Miller, Tara been. And it will get even betFuller and Kathy Knichel, forming ter as our folks continue to the backbone of this installation as shine. Folks like Staff Sgt. they work overtime to ensure this Chris Fite who has deployed weapon system we call "Joint Base multiple times in the last nine Charleston" meets the needs of all our years and has supported not residents. only the Air Force but the Why do they all do this? Because I Army's 10th Mountain believe the American spirit is uniqueDivision and the 2nd Marines ly driven to do its best, to pitch in to as well. Folks like Chief Courtesy photo serve a greater good, and this is espeWarrant Officer John cially true of our military. Why do Col. Martha Meeker Wilson who has spent 13 of you think we speak of ourselves as his 23 years in the Navy at sea and is now oversee- being in the service? No matter whether you are in ing all our waterborne security for this Joint Base. the 628th serving more than 50 military partners, Tech. Sgt. Clifford Hartley is another who repre- or the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Atlantic sents our best as he's been out with Army Brigade delivering communications services to our forces Combat teams on more than 150 door-to-door overseas or the 437th, 315th or 841st delivering searches capturing 30 Taliban fighters. And, if you mine resistant ambush protected vehicles to haven't read about the great things our medical Afghanistan, your military is dedicated to serving folks are doing today to bring fighters like this great nation. It's why the motto of the 628th is Sergeant Hartley home alive, then go find Lt. Col. "Famulus Omnis" or "Serving All." Rest assured Rebekah Friday and she'll tell you what our the men and women who remain at Joint Base Medical Group brings to the fight. Right now the Charleston will continue to make this military ever 628th has more than 16 percent of our active duty better. I'm leaving you in good hands. See photos on Page 3 members deployed down range fighting this
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