BIDDLE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Pa. — The 111th Assault Wing right here welcomed house 33 personnel final week who had been serving in help of abroad operations within the Center East and Africa for greater than six months.
Twenty-one personnel assigned to the 270th Engineering Set up Squadron, a subordinate unit of the 111th ATKW, returned in July and August 2022 from the U.S. Central Command space of duty after supporting U.S. Air Forces Central in Qatar, Jordan, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
One other 11 personnel assigned to the 270th EIS returned from supporting operations within the U.S. Africa Command space of duty. These 111th ATKW airmen began at Ramstein Air Base in Germany, the headquarters for U.S. Air Forces in Europe / Air Forces Africa, after which ahead deployed to help operations in Niger, Djibouti and Kenya.
One member of the 111th Civil Engineering Squadron, one other subordinate unit of the 111th ATKW, was welcomed house from her deployment to Jordan the place she supported USAF Central.
“I wish to welcome our wingmen again from their deployments in help of operations within the U.S. Central Command and U.S. Africa Command areas of duty,” stated Col. Dean E. Thomey, Commander, 111th Assault Wing. “Offering skilled and prepared models and airmen to help our combatant commanders is a key focus of our coaching and the first purpose our wing exists. Thanks for representing us properly and a particular because of your households for enduring your absence and supporting you all through your deployment, and to your civilian employers and native communities for supporting our Airmen whereas they serve our nation.”
The mission of the 270th EIS is to supply specialised cyber engineering sources and help belongings to perform engineering and set up of command and management methods, communications, computer systems, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance infrastructures and airfield methods for the Division of Protection, the U.S. Air Drive and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The personnel coming back from this deployment labored in associated fields and shared their technical {and professional} experience whereas working within the USAFRICOM and USCENTCOM areas of duty.
All applications and providers of the 111th Assault Wing had been mobilized to arrange these airmen for his or her deployment, and to supply a clean transition upon their return. A well-known face was there to see them off at first of their tour of responsibility, and to assist facilitate their homecoming.
“I used to be the enlisted unit deployment supervisor when these members left for deployment and I promised them I’d be there once they obtained house,” stated 2nd Lt. Michele A. Hreso, Set up Deployment Officer for the 111th ATKW. “I left for officer coaching and that is the primary group I’m overseeing the arrival and in-processing and welcome house to their households.”
Personnel deployed to the USAFRICOM AOR assisted the full-spectrum combatant command accountable for all U.S. Division of Protection operations, workout routines, and safety cooperation on the African continent, its island nations, and surrounding waters.
These deployed to the USCENTCOM AOR had been supporting a combatant command that directs and allows army operations and actions with allies and companions to extend regional safety and stability whereas selling U.S. pursuits throughout the Center East within the “central space” between U.S. European Command, U.S. Africa Command and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.
“This previous week was undoubtedly the very best half about my new place as an officer,” Hreso stated. “My aim was to ensure they’re conscious of all of the providers obtainable to make sure their in-processing again house is full, environment friendly and painless.”