Homestead Defenders return from 6-month deployment to Iraq

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Erik Hofmeyer
  • 482nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs
HOMESTEAD AIR RESERVE BASE, Fla. --  Thirty-six reservists from the 482nd Security Forces Squadron returned home to Miami International Airport in grand fashion after completing a six-month deployment to Kirkuk Regional Air Base, Iraq, on Aug. 14.

They might have had an inkling of something in store for the homecoming, but nobody on the plane expected the hero's welcome orchestrated by officials from MIA, American Airlines, Miami-Dade Police Department and the 482nd Fighter Wing.

A special surprise was in store for the reservists as they taxied toward the terminal. Fire trucks fired water cannon salutes that thoroughly doused the airliner as sirens blared to announce their arrival home.

The other passengers on the plane graciously let the Airmen file off first, and they were immediately met by base senior leadership before they walked through the hallway toward the terminal.

Families and friends, media representatives and many others were given special permission to enter the terminal to welcome the Airmen as soon as they stepped off the plane. Agents from U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Transportation Security Administration also volunteered to aid the homecoming. The agents formed two lines to form a channel into the terminal and prepared to salute the Airmen.

A hearty ovation commenced as soon as the first Airman - Senior Airman Michael Sylvain - appeared. Family members winded through the crowd and embraced the Airmen while photographers and cameramen were quick to capture the emotions of reunited families.

The ovation continued all the way to the bus as travelers applauded the Security Forces passing through the airport. The Miami-Dade Police Department reserved curbside parking, ensuring a quick departure from airport grounds en route back to Homestead Air Reserve Base where more family members waited.

The Security Forces reservists' worked tirelessly to provide a safe and secure environment for all military and civilian personnel stationed at Kirkuk Regional Air Base. The installation served as a forward operating base for the U.S. Army's 10th Mountain Division, the transitioning Iraqi Air Force, and U.S. State Department Provisional Reconstruction Teams.