Hanscom Airmen receive heroes' welcome

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. C. Michaela Walrond
  • 66th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. (AFPN) --  Hundreds of base members, family and friends gathered at Memorial Park here June 22 to welcome home more than 60 Hanscom Air Force Base Airmen.

The Heroes' Homecoming, held in conjunction with the base's annual Summer Bash event, formally welcomed home Airmen who have returned from their deployments within the last six months. 

"This ceremony is an awesome opportunity to recognize our great Airmen who have answered our nation's call and to simply say 'thank you' for their selfless service and sacrifice," said Chief Master Sgt. Lisa Sirois, the Electronic Systems Center and 66th Air Base Wing command chief.

To kick off the event, Airmen just back from deployment were bused into the park, which was filled with a crowd of cheering families and friends. The buses were escorted by the Patriot Guard Riders, a military support organization composed primarily of motorcycle riders. 

Family members of the Airmen who deployed, lined up just outside the park waving American flags and ushering the "heroes" into the center of the crowd. The Airmen who deployed and a military working dog were individually recognized and presented with a medallion by base leadership for their service.

"This event is an opportunity to thank our great Hanscom Airmen and their families for the sacrifices they have made -- to shake their hands and welcome them home," said Col. Tom Schluckebier, the 66th ABW commander. "It's important to recognize these men and women as the heroes that they are. Many who deployed left the comfort of their homes to serve in dangerous locations, but they served bravely, knowing the importance of the mission and their vital role in fighting the war on terrorism."

Among those present at the celebration to honor the troops were the Lexington and Concord-Carlisle High School cheerleaders, and students and faculty from the Blanchard Middle School in Westford, Mass. As part of the celebration, the students from Blanchard Middle School handed out bracelets they made to show their support for the troops as part of a national effort called Harm's Way 4 Kids. 

Heroes' Homecoming, emceed by radio talk show host and author Michael Graham, also featured performances by the Air Force Band of Liberty rock ensemble, Afterburner. 

Lt. Col. Edwin Daniel, the 66th ABW staff judge advocate who recently returned from Southwest Asia, said events like Heroes' Homecoming are important because it recognizes those who have gone into harm's way. During his deployment, Colonel Daniel acted as part of a servicing legal office for numerous air bases in Iraq. The colonel said the hardest part for him during his deployment was seeing the dead and injured in the medical facility where he was stationed. 

"As a result of that experience, I have a greatly heightened respect for the military medical community and what they do for us. I am in awe of our combat medical teams who serve our members in combat." 

"In my line of work you're going to deploy and see things most people could only dream about or watch on cable," said Tech. Sgt. Len Arsenault of the 66th Security Forces Squadron who recently returned from Southwest Asia where he provided direct combat support for both operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. "For a great majority of the Air Force, they don't deploy forward as often and recognizing their contributions to the air expeditionary force is important."  

Lisa Carter, whose husband Master Sgt. Woodrow Carter, 66th SFS, recently returned from a deployment to Iraq, said she was thrilled to have her husband back home.

"It's such a big relief that he's home safe," she said.

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