Selfridge Airmen to Return Home [Update]

Col. Michael Thomas welcomes home members of the Michigan Air National Guard at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Mich., Jan. 9, 2012. The Airmen returned home after a 4-month deployment to Afghanistan, where they flew, maintained and supported the A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft. The Airmen are all members of the 127th Wing at Selfridge, of which Thomas is the commander. (U.S. Air Force photo by TSgt. Dave Kujawa) Hi-res

by TSgt. Dan Heaton
127th Wing Public Affairs

1/9/2012 - SELFRIDGE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Mich. -- Approximately 300 Airmen of the Michigan Air National Guard returned to Selfridge Air National Guard Base Monday, Jan. 9, after a four-month deployment to Afghanistan. The Airmen operated and maintained the A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft while deployed, serving with the 451st Air Expeditionary Wing, based at Kandahar Airfield. [...]



Major Gen. Gregory J. Vadnais, the adjutant general of Michigan, welcomes home a group of Airmen at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Mich., Jan. 9, 2012. The Airmen, all members of the 127th Wing at Selfridge, were returning home after a 4-month deployment to Afghanistan. (U.S. Air Force photo by TSgt. Dave Kujawa) Hi-res






Hundreds of friends and family members welcome home members of the Michigan Air National Guard at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Mich., Jan. 9, 2012. The Airmen returned home after a 4-month deployment to Afghanistan, where they flew, maintained and supported the A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft. The Airmen are all members of the 127th Wing at Selfridge. (U.S. Air Force photo by TSgt. David Kujawa) Hi-res

Source (Including 7 photos and a video)



Please note: The rest of this news article is identical with it's previous version, already published on January 6, 2012. See: Selfridge Airmen to Return Home



This video is available now also on YouTube:



Comment: Welcome home, 107th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron and all of your supporters!

Selfridge Airmen to Return Home

by TSgt. Dan Heaton
127th Wing Public Affairs

1/6/2012 - SELFRIDGE AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Mich. -- Approximately 300 Airmen of the Michigan Air National Guard are returning to Selfridge Air National Guard Base this month, after a four-month deployment to Afghanistan. The Airmen operated and maintained the A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft while deployed, serving with the 451st Air Expeditionary Wing, based at Kandahar Airfield.

"The safe return of our Michigan Airmen is a very welcome way to begin the new year," said Col. Michael Thomas, commander of the 127th Wing, the home unit of the returning Airmen. "The selfless service rendered by these men and women, which included being deployed over the holiday season, epitomizes the core values of the U.S. Air Force."

The deployment was the fourth major deployment of the unit's since 2001. This was the first deployment for the Selfridge fighter aircraft unit to Afghanistan and the first since the 107th Fighter Squadron made the transition to flying the A-10, an air-to-ground attack aircraft. The deployment included members of the 127th Operations Group and the 127th Maintenance Group.

Over the 120-day deployment period, the unit logged approximately 8,300 flight hours in 2,000 sorties, or flight missions.

While the bulk of the unit is returning home in early January, a small cadre will remain behind to assist with the transition of the unit that replaced the Michigan Air Guardsmen at Kandahar, a NATO base in southern Afghanistan.

Composed of approximately 1,700 Citizen-Airmen, the 127th Wing of the Michigan Air National Guard is the host organization at Selfridge, flying the KC-135 Stratotanker, an aerial refueler, and the A-10 Thunderbolt II, also known as the Warthog, which is an air-to-ground attack fighter. In addition to the Wing, Selfridge is home to numerous other military and federal agencies, which fly a variety of helicopters and small, light fixed-wing aircraft.

More information on the 127th Wing and Selfridge Air National Guard Base is available at www.127wg.ang.af.mil.

Comment: Job well done, 107th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron and all supporting units! That was the first leg of an ongoing "Total Force" A-10C combat deployment to the 451st AEW at Kandahar Airfield in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

A-10 pilot surpasses 1,000 combat hours flown

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- Capt. "Rudy," an A-10 Thunderbolt II pilot with the 107th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, surpassed 1,000 combat flying hours in support combat operations in Afghanistan and eclipsed more than 2,000 total flying hours during this deployment. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. David Carbajal) Hi-res

by Staff Sgt. David Carbajal
451st Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

1/6/2012 - KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- (Editor's note: The name of "Captain Rudy" is being held for security and safety reasons.)

At a typical deployment, leaders will encourage you to "make every second count." One pilot here has done just that. In fact, he's made more than three million seconds count.

Capt. "Rudy," an A-10 Thunderbolt II pilot with the 107th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, surpassed 1,000 combat flying hours in support combat operations in Afghanistan and eclipsed more than 2,000 total flying hours during this deployment.

"This is a milestone rarely achieved for a fighter pilot," said Lt. Col. Joshua Ruddell, 107th EFS assistant director of operations. "This equates to being in a combat flying deployment for roughly two years."

He is completing his second deployment to Kandahar Airfield and his fourth overall.

However, this combat-hours milestone was not one of his goals.

"I didn't even know I reached the 1,000 combat hour point until I saw guys from the squadron arriving at my aircraft parking spot after I landed," Rudy said. "I wouldn't trade the experiences I've gained protecting our soldiers on the ground and the strong friendships I have made with squadron mates throughout my deployments."

But this mark comes at a price, he said.

"It also means I've spent about two years away from my wife and missed a lot of birthdays and anniversaries," Rudy said.

An Austin, Texas, native, he is currently assigned to Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany.

"Reaching 1,000 combat hours is honestly not an important milestone to me," he said. After all, it's really just a number. Nothing special happened to me when I reached that point. I didn't get smarter, didn't instantly become a better pilot."

"What's important to me is I've spent 1,000 hours in the air doing my best to make sure the guys on the ground can go home safely to their families," Rudy added. "If just five minutes of that time was enough to give a family a chance to see their father or son again then for me every second was worth it."

"Overall it has been a bittersweet experience but one that I am proud of and it's something that I will remember for the rest of my life."

Beyond his seldom-reached milestone, he is seen as much more than a pilot in his squadron, said Ruddell.

"He is an exceptional instructor pilot and strives to make every pilot he flies with better," said Ruddell. "Whether it's on the ground or in the air, he is constantly improving the quality of our pilots' flying skills."

Source

Please note: According to this official USAF source, Captain "Rudy" is deployed from the 81st Fighter Squadron, 52nd Fighter Wing (USAFE), Spangdahlem AB, Germany, to be part of the currently combat-deployed "Total Force" A-10C team.

An A-10C Inspection at Kandahar Airfield

Released by 451st Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs



KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- Senior Airman Steve Roeper, 107th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron weapons load crew two man, performs a rack inspection and cleaning on an A-10 Thunderbolt at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, Dec. 2, 2011. The A-10 can employ a wide variety of conventional muntions, including general purpose bombs, cluster bomb units, laser guided bombs and others. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Corey Hook) Hi-res

Note: Visible in the revetment far right in the background is an A-10C from the 107th Fighter Squadron, 127th Wing (Michigan Air National Guard), Selfridge.



KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- (Right) Senior Airman Ken Choate and Tech. Sergeant James Foster, 107th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron weapons load crew members, unload a Guided Bomb Unit, GBU-38 from an A-10 Thunderbolt at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, Dec. 2, 2011. The load crew is unloading weapons on an A-10 to conduct a rack inspection and cleaning. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Corey Hook) Hi-res

Note: Pictured is an A-10C from the 47th Fighter Squadron, 917th Fighter Group (AFRC), Barksdale AFB, Louisiana).



KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- (Left) Senior Airman Ken Choate and Tech. Sergeant James Foster, 107th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron weapons load crew members, load a Guided Bomb Unit, GBU-38 on an A-10 Thunderbolt at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, Dec. 2, 2011. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Corey Hook) Hi-res

Note: An external fuel tank is stored at the revetment's wall.



KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan --Tech. Sergeant James Foster, 107th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron weapons load crew chief, helps unload the flare dispenser from an A-10 Thunderbolt at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, Dec. 2, 2011. Crew chiefs maintain and repair aircraft and aircraft equipment, inspect and perform various functional checks and ensure aircraft are in optimal condition after flight. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Corey Hook) Hi-res

Note: Rear view of an SUU-25 Flare Dispenser



KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- Senior Airman Steve Roeper, 107th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron weapons load crew two man, inspects the rocket pod attached to an A-10 Thunderbolt at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, Dec. 2, 2011. The A-10 can employ a wide variety of conventional muntions, including general purpose bombs, cluster bomb units, laser guided bombs and others. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Corey Hook) Hi-res

Note: Rear view of a LAU-131 Rocket Pod



KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- Tech. Sergeant James Foster, 107th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron weapons load crew chief, documents a rack inspection performed on an A-10 Thunderbolt at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, Dec. 2, 2011. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Corey Hook) Hi-res

Note:
These are the very first official USAF photos of the "Total Force" A-10C team, currently combat-deployed to the 451st Air Expeditionary Wing at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). It consists of 18 A-10Cs from different units. According to the original photo captions, at least currently this team is designated as 107th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron. That suggests the 127th Wing (Michigan Air National Guard) with their 107th Fighter Squadron is the leading unit on this deployment's first leg.