Pope Airmen get heart-warming welcome home

POPE AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. (AFPN) -- It was the best present a little girl could hope for when Sarah Beam's daddy arrived back home from a deployment on her 6th birthday. 

More than 180 Airmen who supported operations in Afghanistan and Iraq were welcomed home by family and friends at Green Ramp Nov. 2. 

Despite the late evening arrival and an early fall cold snap, a crowd of hundreds of family members, comrades and community leaders gathered to welcome the heroes back and pay tribute to their accomplishments. 

"Green Ramp has been the launching site for many a warrior; however, it is homecomings like these that create the lasting memories," said Col. Timothy Zadalis, 43rd Airlift Wing commander. 

A lot happened while they were gone, not just on the warfront, but also back at home.
Sarah Beam, daughter of Lt. Col. Ched Beam, 41st Airlift Squadron, learned to ride a bicycle. 

"It was her special surprise for her dad," said Samantha Beam, her mom. "And his special surprise for her was coming home on her birthday. We are going home to have birthday cake tonight." 

Technical Sgt. Joshua Pattee, 43rd Aeromedical Dental Squadron, got a special homecoming of his own. While he was deployed,is wife, Stephanie, gave birth to their fifth child, a boy named Keefe. The proud dad was visibly choked up when he saw his new son for the first time. 

"He's everything we had hoped for and more," said Sergeant Pattee. "I'm just so glad to be home." 

Captain George Crowley, 41st Airlift Squadron, was able to make it home before the arrival of their third child who is due the end of November. 

"I'm just so glad he made it back in time," said his wife Jen. 

The homecoming heroes flew more than 2,600 combat sorties and transported 155,000 passengers and nine million pounds of cargo. The airlift missions also included the transport of several international dignitaries, including Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, the United Nations Mission Iraq director to Baghdad and Finland's administrator of defense. 

"The returning desert warriors are glad to be home and we're happy to have them back. These men and women have spent the last four months ensuring 40-plus year old aircraft have met every challenge and accomplished every mission. We're proud of what they've achieved, and know that the maintainers who replaced them will do every bit as well," said Chief Master Sgt. Rick McMichael, 43rd Maintenance Group superintendent.