Home: RED HORSE AIrmen return from 7-month absence

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. R.J. Biermann
  • 341st Missile Wing Public Affairs
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  One hundred and seventy Airmen from the 819th RED HORSE Squadron returned to Malmstrom Air Force Base on Oct. 24 after completing their deployment to Afghanistan and Southwest Asia.

"We had 166 active-duty [Airmen] and four [219th RED HORSE Squadron] Guardsmen ... downrange for approximately seven months," said Lt. Col. Ron Pieri, 819th RHS commander. "They're civil engineers, so they've been doing all sorts of infrastructure-related work - heavy construction, pavement, vertical work, utilities and reposturing some of the assets we have in Afghanistan."

The deployment began several months ago as the engineers traveled to Fort Bliss, Texas, for a month-long Combat Skills Training course. Here, Airmen learn often unfamiliar skills such as land navigation, GPS systems, vehicle rollover recovery, weapons training, and tactics and movement from Army instructors.

After arriving overseas, Airmen were divided out to several locations to complete engineering projects.

"We completed horizontal construction, ramp repair and entry control point construction projects," said Capt. Lindsay Jaszkowiak, a project officer at one of eight sites 819th RHS members deployed to.

According to Jaszkowiak, completing the projects was easier said than done.

"There are always unique challenges when doing construction in foreign countries," she said. "For one, you're changing from the U.S. standard system to the metric system. Dealing with local vendors, language barriers and construction methods [are also challenges]."

On the home front, several families were feeling the absence of their loved ones.

"It's been a rough go-around," said Kristin Bowman, wife of Senior Airman Bobby Bowman. "I had a baby. [Bobby] was on Skype, but it's just not the same. I had to go through a lot by myself. It's been a difficult time, but we got through it. We're excited to have him home."

It's great to see these Airmen meet their newborn children, Pieri said.

The return was a collection of excitement, anxiety, fatigue and happiness.

According to Pieri, the next unit deployment has not been scheduled.

"It's great to be home," Jaszkowiak said. "It's great to see families. It's great to see familiar faces from our unit. We're all looking forward to spending time with them."