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188th Fighter Wing deploys 275 Airmen to Afghanistan

  • Published
  • By Maj. Heath Allen
  • 188th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
FORT SMITH, Ark. --  It was a familiar scene for Airmen with the 188th Fighter Wing as they huddled around their families to offer their final goodbyes before boarding a plane bound for Afghanistan.

Airmen trekked through the final processing lines and sifted through tables packed full of care package goodies before meandering single file into busses that would transport them to the flightline, where they shook hands with Arkansas National Guard and 188th Fighter Wing leadership before boarding a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 bound for Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan.

The Airmen marched solemnly up the stairs into the hulking MD-11, some forcing smiles as they climbed, others turning back to wave to family below before disappearing into the aircraft's fuselage. Family members lined a concrete barrier below, waving miniature American flags and looking up as their heroes began their journey into harm's path. Some fought back tears. Others did not, flooded with emotion as 275 Airmen with the 188th Fighter Wing departed Fort Smith for the Middle East to support Operation Enduring Freedom. The Airmen will be deployed approximately three months.

The deployment is part of an Air Expeditionary Forces (AEF) rotation, which the 188th is sharing with the Baltimore-based 175th Wing.

"It's never easy deploying men and women into combat and we appreciate their sacrifices as well as those made by their families," said Col. Mark Anderson, 188th Fighter Wing commander. "We have some of the most highly trained and capable Airmen in the Air Force and I have complete confidence that they will focus on the mission and exceed all expectations. From the maintainers to the pilots and support personnel, our men and women have continued to exhibit dedication and professionalism in the face of adversity. We're very proud of our Airmen and we await their safe return."

The personnel who departed July 2 joined a group of approximately 75 Airmen with the 188th already deployed to Afghanistan to supplement the 175th's portion of the AEF rotation. An additional 20 Airmen with the 188th deployed to Afghanistan last week as part of an advance team that prepared for the arrival of the larger group. In total, the 188th deployed approximately 375 Airmen to Afghanistan during this AEF rotation.

For some it will be their first deployment but for most at the 188th it won't be.

"You can definitely tell whether or not someone has deployed before," said Maj. John Easley, 188th Maintenance Group deputy commander. "The Airmen who have never deployed, you can see it in their faces. But we always help each other out and learn from each other. We're a team over there and we take care of each other. We've completed all the training and now it's time to go over and complete the mission."

The A-10 mission in Afghanistan is to fly close-air support in response to ground troops who may be in contact with the enemy, or to escort convoys in particularly hostile areas. When not supporting ground troops, A-10s patrol designated sectors and provide aerial reconnaissance on locations of interest to ground commanders.

This is the second AEF deployment for the 188th as a unit since receiving A-10s April 14, 2007. The 188th's last AEF rotation transpired in 2010 when the unit deployed approximately 300 Airmen and 12 A-10Cs to Kandahar, Afghanistan.

While the 188th prepares year-round for its mission, it has conducted an intense training regimen in the past six months in preparation for its AEF rotation. The 188th deployed approximately 300 operations, maintenance and support personnel along with multiple A-10Cs to participate in Operation Snowbird at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., Feb. 11-26, 2012.

The deployment to Davis-Monthan afforded the 188th with the opportunity to conduct training and gain operational experience in a mountainous, desert terrain, which closely mimics the climate and conditions in Afghanistan.

The 188th also participated in Green Flag-East, a combat training exercise located at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., which allows A-10s to work with attack controllers to coordinate precise live and inert weapons deliveries. Along with the specialized training, the 188th conducts regular close-air support training at homestation with Special Operations personnel and joint terminal attack controllers. The 188th rehearses a diverse array of scenarios to ensure it is as battled tested as possible before being faced with real-world combat.

"This is what we train for year round," said Capt. B.J. Ginger, an A-10 pilot with the 188th Fighter Wing. "Each deployed location is different and we prepare for everything."

188th Fighter Wing deploys 275 Airmen to Afghanistan

  • Published
  • By Maj. Heath Allen
  • 188th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
FORT SMITH, Ark. --  It was a familiar scene for Airmen with the 188th Fighter Wing as they huddled around their families to offer their final goodbyes before boarding a plane bound for Afghanistan.

Airmen trekked through the final processing lines and sifted through tables packed full of care package goodies before meandering single file into busses that would transport them to the flightline, where they shook hands with Arkansas National Guard and 188th Fighter Wing leadership before boarding a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 bound for Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan.

The Airmen marched solemnly up the stairs into the hulking MD-11, some forcing smiles as they climbed, others turning back to wave to family below before disappearing into the aircraft's fuselage. Family members lined a concrete barrier below, waving miniature American flags and looking up as their heroes began their journey into harm's path. Some fought back tears. Others did not, flooded with emotion as 275 Airmen with the 188th Fighter Wing departed Fort Smith for the Middle East to support Operation Enduring Freedom. The Airmen will be deployed approximately three months.

The deployment is part of an Air Expeditionary Forces (AEF) rotation, which the 188th is sharing with the Baltimore-based 175th Wing.

"It's never easy deploying men and women into combat and we appreciate their sacrifices as well as those made by their families," said Col. Mark Anderson, 188th Fighter Wing commander. "We have some of the most highly trained and capable Airmen in the Air Force and I have complete confidence that they will focus on the mission and exceed all expectations. From the maintainers to the pilots and support personnel, our men and women have continued to exhibit dedication and professionalism in the face of adversity. We're very proud of our Airmen and we await their safe return."

The personnel who departed July 2 joined a group of approximately 75 Airmen with the 188th already deployed to Afghanistan to supplement the 175th's portion of the AEF rotation. An additional 20 Airmen with the 188th deployed to Afghanistan last week as part of an advance team that prepared for the arrival of the larger group. In total, the 188th deployed approximately 375 Airmen to Afghanistan during this AEF rotation.

For some it will be their first deployment but for most at the 188th it won't be.

"You can definitely tell whether or not someone has deployed before," said Maj. John Easley, 188th Maintenance Group deputy commander. "The Airmen who have never deployed, you can see it in their faces. But we always help each other out and learn from each other. We're a team over there and we take care of each other. We've completed all the training and now it's time to go over and complete the mission."

The A-10 mission in Afghanistan is to fly close-air support in response to ground troops who may be in contact with the enemy, or to escort convoys in particularly hostile areas. When not supporting ground troops, A-10s patrol designated sectors and provide aerial reconnaissance on locations of interest to ground commanders.

This is the second AEF deployment for the 188th as a unit since receiving A-10s April 14, 2007. The 188th's last AEF rotation transpired in 2010 when the unit deployed approximately 300 Airmen and 12 A-10Cs to Kandahar, Afghanistan.

While the 188th prepares year-round for its mission, it has conducted an intense training regimen in the past six months in preparation for its AEF rotation. The 188th deployed approximately 300 operations, maintenance and support personnel along with multiple A-10Cs to participate in Operation Snowbird at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., Feb. 11-26, 2012.

The deployment to Davis-Monthan afforded the 188th with the opportunity to conduct training and gain operational experience in a mountainous, desert terrain, which closely mimics the climate and conditions in Afghanistan.

The 188th also participated in Green Flag-East, a combat training exercise located at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., which allows A-10s to work with attack controllers to coordinate precise live and inert weapons deliveries. Along with the specialized training, the 188th conducts regular close-air support training at homestation with Special Operations personnel and joint terminal attack controllers. The 188th rehearses a diverse array of scenarios to ensure it is as battled tested as possible before being faced with real-world combat.

"This is what we train for year round," said Capt. B.J. Ginger, an A-10 pilot with the 188th Fighter Wing. "Each deployed location is different and we prepare for everything."