Dyess families welcome home Airmen Published Oct. 26, 2006 By 1st Lt. Will Powell 7th Bomb Wing Public Affairs Dyess Air Force Base, Texas -- Hundreds of family members braved the cold and gathered late Saturday night at the 317th Airlift Group headquarters to welcome home nearly 200 Airmen returning from Southwest Asia. The Airmen, from the 317th AG and 7th Bomb Wing, spent more than four months flying and fixing aircraft and performing other jobs in support of Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom. Friends and families have waited patiently for their loved ones at the group's headquarters many times before, but this was the first time the unit set up a "family reception" complete with games, food and movies for children and adults. The reception was meant to entertain the families while they waited for the Airmen to return and progress through a lengthy inprocessing line, a new requirement for the group and the Airmen. Lieutenant Col. Mike Zick, 40th Airlift Squadron commander, said the Air Force recently required units to institute a reintegration program for redeploying Airmen that should be accomplished immediately after the Airmen return home. The purpose is to provide the Airmen with a smooth transition back into family life and responsibilities after performing duties in deployed combat-zone locations. Prior to this redeployment, Airmen just gave blood and filled out some paperwork before going home with their families, and inprocessing was accomplished at a late time. "This (was) the first time we opened up (the reintegration program) to the spouses as well as the Airmen coming back home," Colonel Zick said. "The briefings the Airmen received (were) able to be seen by the spouses, who (were) sitting right next to each other." Some of the briefings included information on the services provided by the chaplain office and the Airmen and Family Readiness Center. While many families agreed that the family reception was a great idea, most were just excited to have their loved ones back home. Lakisha Brooks, wife of Tech. Sgt. Dante Brooks, 40th AS, said even though this was her husband's second deployment, the time apart wasn't any easier. "The hardest part of his deployment was managing all the family activities by myself and getting adjusted to this new area," said Mrs. Brooks, who had just moved to Dyess with Sergeant Brooks and their two sons three months before Sergeant Brooks received deployment orders. "I've really looked forward to his return because (Saturday was) our eleventh anniversary." "This feels like a dream come true," said Sergeant Brooks after hugging his family for the first time in more than four months. "It's great to be back. I think my son grew a couple inches during these four months, and my wife is prettier than ever." Senior Airman Curtis Cleveland, 317th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief, said he also thought about home a lot during this deployment, which was his second to Southwest Asia. "The deployments keep getting better and better, but I'm glad to be home," he said. "I'm not going to Disney World or anything, but I'm looking forward to some good food." Colonel Zick said some Airmen were on their sixth deployment, but no matter how much deployment experience Airmen have, it never gets any easier to say goodbye to their families. "But we have some super Airmen and great professionals out there," he said. "I've never heard anyone say they don't want to go. When the time comes, everyone's hand goes up and says they're ready to go back and support the servicemembers on the ground in Iraq, Afghanistan and Africa."