Yokota Airmen deploy; GWOT support continues

  • Published
  • By Capt. Warren Comer
  • 374th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan --  Every Airman knows that their mission is to protect the people of the United States and to defend the freedoms by which the country was founded upon. 

Keeping true to these beliefs approximately 70 Airmen from the 374th Airlift Wing here set out on a 120-day deployment Monday in support of Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom throughout various parts of Southwest Asia. 

"This is our job, that's what we get paid to do," said Master Sgt. Dan Laitinen, 374th Comptroller Squadron, who will deploy to Baghdad International Airport, about Airmen's participation in supporting Air Expeditionary Force 3-4. "It's time to go earn our money."
The AEF provides a steady battle rhythm to Airmen so that they may support worldwide operations. Monday's mass deployment from Yokota was just a piece of that overall process. Last year alone, approximately 1,600 Airmen here deployed in support of the global war on terrorism. 

Most of the Airmen on Monday's deployment were heading to Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, home to U.S. Central Command Forward headquarters. They came from a variety of career fields from units to include the 374th CPTS, 374th Logistics Readiness Squadron, 374th Mission Support Squadron, 374th Services Division and 374th Medical Group. 

On the Labor Day holiday, Airmen assembled at the Deployment Processing Center at Yokota Air Base, spending the final hours of their time here with family and friends before departing. 

Most people said that saying goodbye to their loved ones is a very hard thing to do, but understand the mission and that the base has numerous programs established to help them while one of their family members is deployed. 

During the goodbyes, Lt. Col. Douglas Dickerson, 374th LRS director of operations and troop commander for the deployment, took a moment to reflect on the timing of their departure while explaining the upcoming flight to Airmen. 

"Just one week from today is the day that Al Qaida struck the World Trade Center," said Colonel Dickerson. "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." 

While Airmen have been deploying in support of operations before Sept. 11, they said the attacks really showed them what was important and that they could help make a difference in the world through their service in the U.S. military. 

They explained that their family and friends could do handle their absence for a short period because they know the work they were doing would actually ensure that the freedoms they cherish today would still be with them tomorrow.