Defenders of the Force Prepare for Deployment

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Wesley Wright
  • 442nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs
WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. --  More than 20 Airmen from the 442nd Security Forces Squadron here are slated to deploy to Central Asia this spring in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

The Reserve Airmen will deploy to the Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan for approximately six months.

"The mission will be base security operations," said Master Sgt. James M. Dorl, 442nd SFS squad leader. "That encompasses entry-control points, personnel and vehicle search areas and flightline security operations."

To prepare for such duties, Dorl said the squadron has put in many hours getting the Airmen prepared for deployment.

"We bring them out on annual-tour status to accomplish all their live-fire weapon qualifications," he said. "They have five weapon systems they qualify on. Additionally, for all of our deployments, the Airmen are required to attend a predeployment ground-combat-readiness training center."

At the GCRTC, Airmen will be put through scenarios and scenes that will resemble situations they might face in the deployed environment, Dorl said.

One of the Airmen scheduled to go on the deployment is Senior Airman Branndon McElroy, a 442nd SFS fire-team member.

McElroy has been in the Reserve for four years, and this is his first deployment.

"I'm excited to go," he said. "At the same time, I'm nervous. It's a new environment -- something different. Getting thrown from your everyday norm to a deployment overseas in a country you've never been, being around people you've never met, around a culture you've never interacted with, it's definitely nerve-racking at times."

McElroy, who is engaged to be married next year, said it is important to keep family informed as part of preparation for deployment.

"Make sure you talk to people," he said. "Have a plan set out, don't leave your family members and significant others back home in the dark. Definitely let them in on the process of how they can help. Just talk -- don't think you have to go through this all by yourself."

Dorl agreed with McElroy about family being an important part of the preparation process.

"We have a lot of non prior service Airmen," he said. "We make sure that their spouses are brought onto the base, and to the briefings, and are made aware of everything. We actually have a separate mobilization briefing day where the family members are encouraged to come. That entire day is dedicated to the families and briefing them."

Dorl said the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program, an Air Force Reserve program that provides pre-deployment, during-deployment and post-deployment support and resources to families back home, is invaluable in supporting families of deploying Airmen.

"We use the Yellow Ribbon program extensively," Dorl said. "We have done 18 deployments since 9/11. Not enough can be said about the program and its benefits."

McElroy agreed and said Yellow Ribbon events have helped his family.

"The Yellow Ribbon event was very helpful," McElroy said. "It helped my fiancée understand how to deal with the emotion of having a loved one deploy."

As they fire and clean their weapons, practice scenarios and sign off on training and as they hug their spouses and children goodbye, the ever-vigilant Airmen of the 442nd SFS work toward a successful deployment, defending the forces that protect the nation.