Holloman welcomes home Korea deployment

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Heather Stanton
  • 49th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
More than 400 family, friends and fellow Team Holloman members welcomed home the Airmen of the 9th Fighter Squadron and 49th Maintenance Group Friday at Holloman Air Force Base. 

Nearly 250 Airmen came home from a three-and-a-half month deployment to Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea. 

"It's awesome to be home," said Staff Sgt. Joseph Metoyer, 49th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. "It's a wonderful feeling. I'm very happy to be home, I'm going to be spending a lot of time with my family." 

Not only were the deployed Airmen happy to be home, the friends and family were pressed against the ropes holding them back with tears in their eyes and smiles across their faces, full of excitement to have their Airmen home. 

"It is wonderful to have him home," said Ms. Carri Piersall of Tech. Sgt. Dean Piersall, 49 AMXS. "It was a challenge. My kids and I relied on each other for support and we were able to talk to him every couple of days." 

Many members of the community came to the homecoming to welcome home the Airmen. 

"This is great," said Mr. Dwight Harp, Holloman Wingman. "This is like family coming home - it is family coming home. It is an absolute honor to be able to shake the hands of the Airmen as they come off the plane." 

The F-117A Nighthawk has deployed many times to Korea in the last several years, but this deployment is likely the last. 

"This is special because it was likely the last scheduled deployment for the Nighthawk," said Col. Jack Forsythe, 49th Operations Group commander. "But we don't look at it the though the mission is over, we still have to be ready so we don't let our guard down." 

The deployment to Korea went well for the Airmen. They did the same kind of work as they would here, but in a different environment, said Sergeant Metoyer. "The facilities were smaller because they are made for F-16s and the weather affected the plane too." 

While they were there, the Airmen participated in three exercises with Kunsan. Sergeant Metoyer had fun in the exercises because they were different in many ways from Holloman exercises. 

"It is great to have our Airmen home," said Colonel Forsythe. "It is my favorite part of being a servicemember - to be a part of a coming home reunion."