Barksdale reservists return from deployment

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Jeff Walston
  • 307th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. --  Approximately 150 Airmen from the 917th Fighter Group, a geographically separated unit of the 442nd Fighter Wing, returned to Barksdale from Afghanistan over the past few days.

While deployed to Afghanistan, the Airmen served in the 451st Air Expeditionary Wing at Kandahar Airfield before being relocated to Bagram Airfield as part of the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing.

Some of the Airmen were also assigned to the 47th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, 451st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and 451st Maintenance Squadron.

Barksdale Reservists teamed up with more than 150 people from Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Mass., and Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., to complete the mission in Afghanistan.

"We are very proud of our Airmen and the support they gave to U.S and coalition forces in theater," said Col. John Breazeale, 917 Fighter Group commander. "Our maintenance personnel and pilots had a significant impact on the current operations in Afghanistan, and we were extremely honored by the opportunity deploy as a unit for the first time in sixteen years."

The Barksdale Airmen were schedule to arrive at several different times and dates due to transportation availabilities and unavoidable delays. The first group of approximately 100 Airmen arrived at Barksdale April 14, with six pilots and six A-10 Thunderbolt II.

The final group of Airmen arrived at here April 17.

The 917th Fighter Group is a geographically separated unit of the 442nd Fighter Wing, Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo.