Spangdahlem Airmen return home

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SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany (AFPN) --  About 250 Spangdahlem Airmen returned home Sept. 9 to their families and friends after a deployment to Southwest Asia.

"Since 9/11, a lot of Americans have been serving and sacrificing; these are the latest," said Col. Darryl Roberson, 52nd Fighter Wing commander. "The families and children here have also been serving and sacrificing. It has taken everybody to get us where we are today. And we are going to continue serving and sacrificing until we get the job done."

As the returning Airmen inprocessed, family members and friends awaited the word from Colonel Roberson to open the hangar door so they could be reunited with their loved ones.

Master Sgt. Donald Villars, 52nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, was greeted on the flightline by his wife, Yong, and son, Daniel. This deployment was the first the family has gone through during their seven-year marriage.

While deployed to the 23rd Aircraft Maintenance Unit, these Airmen were responsible for performing maintenance, repairs and maintenance support functions to their assigned F-16 Fighting Falcons.

Also, during the next few weeks, the unit's A-10 Thunderbolt II ground-attack aircraft, pilots and support Airmen will return to Spangdahlem from their deployment to Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan. 

(Courtesy of 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs)