Reservists surprise wives during live 'Salute to Troops'

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ATLANTA (AFNS) --  Senior Airmen Domenic Mash and Keith Graft surprised their wives on the set of "HLN's Morning Express with Robin Meade" show during a live "Salute to the Troops" segment Sept. 14, here.

The Airmen, from the Air Force Reserve Command 911th Security Forces Squadron, Pittsburgh International Airport, Pa., secretly arrived home from deployment a few days early for the surprise reunion at the CNN Center in Atlanta. Katlyn Mash and Lauren Graft were brought to the show to do the live salute not knowing their husbands were waiting in the studio. The live welcome home was a first for the daily segment on Headline News.

Graft and Mash volunteered for a seven-month deployment knowing that they would miss the birth of their children. They were introduced to their children for the first time during the show while they tried to fight back tears. Savannah Jean Mash was born Aug. 11 and Blake Graft, was born Aug. 22.

The Airmen were part of a 13-member security forces squad from Pittsburgh that volunteered to replace a team from Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England.

The reunion can be viewed at http://salute.blogs.cnn.com/2011/09/14/surprise-military-reunion-live-on-morning-express/