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Royal Air Force Sergeant Ady Shaw carries his deployment gear from a military charter plane to the customs area at RAF Mildenhall, England, March 4 after a six-month deployment to Kandahar Air Base, Afghanistan. About 150 RAF servicemembers landed at RAF Mildenhall instead of their typical point of return, shaving about five hours off their journey home to RAF Honington. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Austin M. May)
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Mildenhall Airmen assist RAF members redeploy
Posted 3/13/2009
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by Staff Sgt. Austin M. May
100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
3/13/2009 - ROYAL AIR FORCE MILDENHALL, England (AFNS) -- When servicemembers return home after a six-month deployment, the fewer things standing between them and their loved ones, the better.
Knowing that, Royal Air Force Mildenhall members wasted no time helping about 150 Royal Air Force members returning from Afghanistan get through the necessary return procedures and on their way home March 4 and cut their journey by several hours.
"Flying into Mildenhall avoids a long bus journey and enables members to be reunited with their families much more quickly," said RAF Squadron Leader Rick Fryer, the RAF station commander here. "This is especially important after a long deployment and already long flight."
The group is part of 1 Squadron RAF Regiment based at RAF Honington, about 30 minutes from RAF Mildenhall. They spent the last six months at Kandahar Air Base, Afghanistan, where their primary mission was force protection.
Typically, the group would have landed at RAF Brize Norton, near Oxford, and boarded buses for a five-hour ride to their home station. The schedule adjustment was well-received by the returning servicemembers.
"This is very good for morale," said RAF Flight Sergeant Scouse Taylor, who said the entire group was "itching to get home." The sergeant recognized RAF Mildenhall's contribution to their rapid return.
"Thanks to the American military for all their help," he said.
Sergeant Taylor's sentiment was echoed by the junior members of the group.
"This is brilliant," said RAF Senior Aircraftsman Judy Bloomfield, who was looking forward to having coffee with her mother. "One of the worst parts of deployment is the travelling back and forth."
No matter where home is, coming back from a long deployment is something servicemembers look forward to, and helping the members of 1 Squadron get home quickly was something Senior Airman Matt Brandt of the 727th Aircraft Mobility Squadron said he was more than happy to do.
"You can definitely see the look of appreciation on their faces," he said while he helped the returnees transition through customs. "You can tell they appreciate even seemingly small things, like taking luggage carts back so they don't have to."
Airman Brandt, who has deployed himself, said he knows they would do the same for him.
"This shows how we're united," he added.
With brothers and sisters in arms serving in locations around the world, today's military members know all too well the stresses of being away from their families. The efforts put forth by members of RAF Mildenhall members was recognized at all levels.
"This is a classic demonstration of the willingness and ability of the United States Air Force and Royal Air Force to work together," Squadron Leader Fryer said.
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