Buccaneers return from Afghanistan tour

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  • By Louis A. Arana-Barradas
  • Air Force Print News
MUÑIZ AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Puerto Rico (AFPN) --  Waiting for the C-130 Hercules to return, Master Sgt. Diego Vazquez's only thought was this fellow Airmen would soon be safely home with their families.

The 156th Airlift Wing NCO in charge of finance was one of more than 150 people who welcomed the 198th Airlift Squadron transport and 26 Airmen returning from a deployment to Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan.

"I'm here to support my fellow Airmen," Sergeant Vazquez, of Aibonito, Puerto Rico, said. "Because I've been there - I've deployed. So I know how good it feels to have your family, friends and coworkers welcome you home."

This is the third time squadron Airmen have returned from duty in Afghanistan. The unit started rotating for duty there in August -- the first time the Puerto Rico Air National Guard unit deployed their Hercules aircraft into combat.

Waiting in the crowd, at a huge open hangar, was wing commander Col. Jorge Cantres. The 37-year Guard veteran was doubly anxious to see the aircraft arrive. He said he has not had a good night's sleep since his Airmen started their tours of duty at Bagram. And he will continue to sleep restlessly until the last rotation returns home in January 2007.

"It's a great relief to have our Airmen home so they can spend the holidays with their families," the colonel from Santurce, Puerto Rico, said.

On board the C-130 were two of the colonel's sons, both enlisted Airmen.

"Now we'll just pray that all our other Airmen stay safe and return in January," he said. The wing has even postponed its Christmas party until all its Airmen are back home.

The welcome had a festive atmosphere. In the background there was salsa and traditional Puerto Rican Christmas music playing. There was a buffet line stacked with food and refreshments. But some families brought platters of traditional Puerto Rican Christmas food: roast pork, rice and beans.

Clutching her daughter, Marina, just inside the shady hangar, Giselle Castrillon waited for her husband - Master Sgt. Jose Vidal - to deplane. She was happy to have her husband, a squadron loadmaster, home for the holidays. The family does not have specific plans. All she wanted was for her husband to be home.

"We're just going to stay around our home and relax," Mrs. Castrillon said. "He's been gone two and a half months and we we've missed him."

Clutching his daughter, Sergeant Vidal said it is good to be home.

"We did what we were supposed to do," the sergeant from Carolina, Puerto Rico, said. "We did our job as good, or better, than anyone else."

While at Bagram, the squadron hauled supplies, people, ammunition and a lot of water from the airlift hub at Bagram to outlying forward operating bases. The crews flew day and night missions using night vision goggles.

Airman Victoria Ramos was waiting to help the returning Airmen fill out their paperwork while they in-processed back home. She did the same on the other two returns. The Airman from Yabucoa, Puerto Rico, said it felt good to have her coworkers back home.

"Its feels great to have them home again," she said. "They finished their mission and came home safe and sound - that's good."

The guardsmen from Puerto Rico are the only Airmen doing rotations in two theaters of operations. Besides duty in Afghanistan, the wing also has two aircraft deployed to fly Coronet Oak mission from Muñiz for U.S. Southern Command throughout Latin America. And Colonel Cantres said the wing will see more action in both theaters.

After the fanfare of the homecoming, Sergeant Vazquez went to work helping in-process the returning Airmen. His main concern was that they turned in their travel vouchers so they could get paid. But apart from that, he was glad his coworkers were home.

"I'm glad I could be part of the process that got our Airmen home quickly, so they can be with their families in this time of the year," Sergeant Vazquez said.

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