Yokota Airmen deploy throughout Southwest Asia

  • Published
  • By Capt. Warren Comer
  • 374th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan (AFPN) --  Approximately 70 Airmen from the 374th Airlift Wing here set out on a 120-day deployment this week in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.

Airmen assembled at the Deployment Processing Center here on the Labor Day holiday, spending time with family and friends before departing.

During the goodbyes, Lt. Col. Douglas Dickerson, 374th LRS director of operations and commander for the deployment, reflected on the timing of the departure.

"Just one week from today is the day that Al Qaida struck the World Trade Center," Colonel Dickerson said. "We're coming up on the five-year anniversary of Sept. 11 and Airmen are just as enthusiastic (to deploy) today as they were then."

The latest Airmen to deploy came from the 374th Comptroller Squadron, 374th Logistics Readiness Squadron, 374th Mission Support Squadron, 374th Services Division and 374th Medical Group.

"This is our job. That's what we get paid to do," said Master Sgt. Dan Laitinen, 374th CPTS, who is deploying to Baghdad International Airport. "It's time to go earn our money." 

The air and space expeditionary force provides a steady battle rhythm to Airmen so that they may support worldwide operations. This deployment from Yokota was just a piece of that overall process. Last year alone, approximately 1,600 Airmen here deployed in support of the war on terrorism.