News>33rd RQS, 718th AMXS Airmen return home, reunite with families
Photos
A U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III cargo aircraft - carrying Airmen from the 33rd Rescue and 718th Aircraft Maintenance squadrons returning from a deployment - taxis on the Kadena Air Base, Japan, runway May 20, 2012. About 50 Airmen aboard the aircraft returned May 20 from a four-month deployment. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Maeson L. Elleman)
Katie Rynrandt, and her son, Drew, wait to greet U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Kevin Rynbrandt, 33rd Rescue Squadron HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter pilot, during a homecoming for the 33rd RQS and 718th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron on Kadena Air Base, Japan, May 20, 2012. Rynbrandt returned May 20 after a four-month deployment to Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Maeson L. Elleman)
U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Kevin Rynbrandt (left), 33rd Rescue Squadron HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter pilot, greets his wife, Katie, and son, Drew, during the 33rd RQS and 718th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron's homecoming in the Air Mobility Command terminal at Kadena Air Base, Japan, May 20, 2012. Family and friends wielding "Welcome Home" signs greeted the redeployers in the terminal May 20 after their four-month deployment to Afghanistan. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Maeson L. Elleman)
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Mark Smith, 33rd Rescue Squadron flight engineer, kisses his wife, Jessica, and hugs his daughter, Victoria, during the 33rd RQS and 718th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron's homecoming at the Air Mobility Command terminal on Kadena Air Base, Japan, May 20, 2012. Roughly 50 Airmen from the two squadrons returned to Kadena May 20 after a four-month deployment to Afghanistan. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Maeson L. Elleman)
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Mark Smith, 33rd Rescue Squadron flight engineer, greets his family during the 33rd RQS and 718th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron's homecoming at the Air Mobility Command terminal on Kadena Air Base, Japan, May 20, 2012. About 50 Airmen from the two squadrons were deployed to Afghanistan in January, 2012. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Maeson L. Elleman)
by Airman 1st Class Maeson L. Elleman
18th Wing Public Affairs
5/23/2012 - KADENA AIR BASE, Japan -- Throughout the terminal, people stood watching the closed sliding glass doors with one common emotion - anticipation.
In a room so silent even whispers to almost seemed out of place, friends and families of deployed service members waited for their loved ones to cross the threshold after a four-month deployment to Afghanistan.
As the doors slid open, the first of roughly 50 Airmen from the 33rd Rescue Squadron and 718th Aircraft Maintenance Squadrons redeploying back to Kadena walked into the awaiting crowd now amassed with smiles and tears.
"It feels great to be back," said Staff Sgt. Mark Smith, 33rd RQS flight engineer whose wife and two daughters were waiting for him at the terminal May 20. "I just really missed being with family and playing games with my kids."
Smith was greeted by his wife, Katie, and "Welcome Home Dad" sign-wielding daughters, Gabrielle, 4, and Victoria, 11.
It was an emotion shared around the room, but it was most evident in the faces of young children who missed their parents.
"Jolly Green" feet painted on her face, Gabrielle, Smith's 4-year-old daughter said, in a few words, how much she can't wait to play hide and seek and video games with her dad.
"We're just relieved [now that he's back]," said Katie Smith. "We're excited for him to be home."
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5/23/2012 6:35:44 PM ET Welcome Back We missed you
