Airlift Support for GWOT returns home

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Joel Mease
  • 7th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  After more than 120 days at a forward-deployed operating base, the Airmen of the 317th Aircraft Maintenance and 39th Airlift Squadron have recently returned to work and shared their experiences after redeploying Feb. 14. 

Since the start of action in Afghanistan and Iraq, the 317th Airlift Group has played an active role in supporting the Global War on Terrorism. Even with the heavy work load and multiple deployments, the spirits at the 317th AG couldn't be better after their redeployment, said Master Sgt. Joshua Swanger, 39th AS first sergeant. 

Staff Sergeant John Booker couldn't agree more. 

"It's a great feeling being able to do my actual job," said Sergeant Booker, 317th AG aviation resource manager. "While you are at home station the goal is to train to do the job, but its always a nice change to actually do it." 

For some Airmen, this particular deployment was their first, 1st Lt. Matthew Goldsmith, 39th AS navigator, was one of those Airmen. 

"It was a great experience for me," the lieutenant said. "I had only been in the squadron around two months, so this gave me a great opportunity to get to know everyone in the squadron." 

The lieutenant said another bonus of the deployment was getting to see the world from a different perspective. 

"We got to see countries and cultures first hand, that many people never get the chance to visit," he said. 

The one thing that stuck out in Lieutenant Goldsmith's mind about the deployment was being able to provide humanitarian assistance to those in need. 

"There was a lot of flooding that went through Ethiopia," the lieutenant said. "We were able to airlift in food and water. It felt good knowing that we were helping people out when they needed it the most." 

Sergeant Booker admits that the multiple deployment rotations can be tough on those in relationships and who have family members. However, he said that the leadership does a great job in minimizing that stress as much as possible. This was Sergeant Booker's fourth deployment. 

"I had deployed there before, so it was easier for me to adjust," Seargeant Booker said. "The people and the leadership in the squadron are really the ones who made it easy. They were absolutely critical in our success." 

Now that the 39th AS has returned to Dyess they begin the preparations to go back again, but as many of the Airmen in the 317th AG say they can't wait to go back.