Seymour Johnson community welcomes 335th FS, 335th AMU Airmen home

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Tammie Moore
  • 4th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. --  After spending Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years away from their families nearly 300 Airmen returned to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C. from a four-month deployment to Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan, Jan. 5.

During their time in Afghanistan the Airmen assigned to the 335th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron and 335th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Unit generated more than 1,670 combat sorties totaling nearly 6,500 flight hours.

"I am so very proud of the Chiefs," said Lt. Col. Lance Bunch, 4th Operations Group deputy commander. "They performed at the highest level throughout their four-month deployment. The Chiefs endured complex combat conditions, multiple rocket attacks and extremely trying winter weather and they always rose to the occasion and provided our ground forces with the airpower they needed."

Master Sgt. Brian Garcia, 335th Aircraft Maintenance Unit section chief, said seeing his family again was an awesome feeling.

"The deployment went fast," he said, as his wife and two sons stood by his side.

This is Staff Sgt. Randy Wilhide's second deployment at Bagram Air Field from the 4th Equipment Maintenance Squadron.

"The base is getting a lot better," said the munitions' system technician. "It is being built up a lot."

The infrastructure build-up helped him witness his daughter's first Christmas despite being on another continent via webcam.

"It was hard missing her first everything, she was four weeks old when I left," he said. "It feels amazing to be holding my daughter again."

For Capt. Joe Elam, 335th Fighter Squadron aircrew, seeing his wife and three children in the reception area waiting for him was awesome. The highlight of his time in Afghanistan was a conglomeration of everything he witnessed while downrange.

The hard work these Airmen performed down-range has not gone unnoticed by the leadership back at Seymour Johnson AFB.

"The Chiefs did great - everyone should be proud of these Airmen," Colonel Bunch said. As an indication of the excellence displayed by the Chiefs, they were nominated for two Silver Stars and six Distinguished Flying Crosses during the deployment. Additionally, a crew was awarded an Air Combat Command Safety Award and another crew is the ACC nominee for the 2009 Mackay Trophy.

The returning Airmen will have an opportunity to reconnect with family and friends before returning to work at the end of the month to resume training.