Members of the 305th Air Mobility Wing at Joint Base McGuire-Dix- Lakehurst recently welcomed home 150 airmen from the 6th Airlift Squadron.
Happy family reunions were the order of the day when members of the 6th Airlift Squadron returned to Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in central New Jersey. DAVE BENJAMIN Throughout their four-month deployment, the New Jersey C-17 squadron successfully executed more than 3,000 sorties, off-loaded 101 million pounds of equipment and airlifted 146,000 passengers in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.
“Our mission was to provide combat airlift support to Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom,” said Lt. Col. John Price, 6th Airlift Squadron commander. “Without combat airlift, operations on this scale simply are not possible.”
Price said the C-17 Globemaster IIIs were used to transport equipment, supplies and personnel from main operating bases to austere locations throughout the Middle East. By providing logistical and transportation support to service members, the squadron helped to ensure success in combat and sustainment operations, he said.
Children were thrilled to be reunited with their parents who had been away for several months serving overseas with the 6th Airlift Squadron. Troops recently returned to Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. DAVE BENJAMIN The 6th Airlift Squadron deployed 150 airmen in October 2009. While deployed, they assumed the role and mission of the 817th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron.
“The deployment was a success on every level,” Price said. “Every airman gained valuable operational experience that will serve this squadron and our nation for years to come.”
As with most units across the military, the squadron’s deployments and temporary duty assignments result in time away from their families. Throughout the year, members of the 6th Airlift Squadron typically deploy for a few weeks at a time on a continuous rotation.
“I am equally proud of the spouses, children and parents who have not only served their own tour of service during our deployment, but have been the backbone of support for our squadron,” said Price. “Our families are the true heroes here and deserve a big thank you.”
The 6th Airlift Squadron executes contingency and planned missions in small crews under the direction of the 305th Air Mobility Wing at Joint Base McGuire-Dix- Lakehurst in south central New Jersey.
Col. Scott Smith, commander of the 305th Air Mobility Wing, was on the tarmac as both planes — a C17 Globemaster III and a KC 10 — landed and the airmen filed out of the planes.
“They are staged out of several places in the Middle East, primarily out of Turkey,” said Smith. “From there they operate several detachments of a couple of planes and some crew all over the place. During the four months that they are gone, they span the whole area.”
Smith said the squadron flew a lot of sorties (missions) into Afghanistan and Iraq.
“In the mobility community, that’s the airlift and air-refueling,” Smith said. “There is no border. On any given day we can launch [our planes] from here.”
Returning on one of the flights was 6th Airlift Squadron Tech Sgt. Antonio Munoz, of Mount Holly, who said it was great to be back with his family and friends and to be able to spend some quality time with them.
“We’ve been gone for a period of time,” said Munoz, who explained that during his deployment he traveled to Iraq or to Afghanistan almost every other day.
When asked if he expects to return to that dangerous part of the world, Munoz said his unit will eventually come up for another rotation. In the meantime, he said, there will be additional training before his unit goes out for its next mission.