Altus Airmen depart for AOR

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Eugene Bird
  • 97th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
ALTUS AFB, Okla. --  Thirty-six Airmen from the 97th Civil Engineer Squadron, departed by bus Saturday morning for Ft. Carson, Colo., and four weeks of advanced combat skills training before deploying to undisclosed locations in Iraq and Afghanistan. 

Families had been invited by Lt. Col. Karl Freerks, 97th CES commander, to spend final moments with their loved ones and enjoy a breakfast where Mrs. Freerks, Master Sgts. Joseph and Donna Barry and Family Support Center workers explained in detail dozens of support programs. 

Key spouses (civilian volunteers) and Chaplain William Hoggatt helped open up the direct line of communications that Colonel Freerks said will help the base help the families of deployed Airmen. 

"My wife and four or five 'key' spouses contact families weekly to share information. Key spouses receive special training," said Colonel Freerks.
 
"We are very proud of you. The training you've received has given you the confidence to carry out your mission," Colonel Freerks told deploying Airmen.
 
"You'll build infrastructure both in camps and outside the wire, and provide fire prevention and suppression services." 

Most deployers were smiling while retrieving their weapons Saturday at Bldg. 370.
"We're finally getting started. I'm excited we're going on this adventure, but it's tough to leave friends and family," said a 97th CES Airman. 

Staff Sgt. Jose Gonzalez, a member of the Battlefield Deployment Training cadre, married his wife only week ago. 

"She is pregnant, but I'll be back in time to see [the birth]. I encourage everyone to get out on an OPERATION ENDURING/IRAQI FREEDOM deployment to say, 'I did it.' This is what we are in the military for, to fight wars," he said. 

More Altus AFB deployments are expected in April and May from the base's Air Expeditionary Forces.