7th AS Coming Home

McCHORD AIR FORCE BASE RELEASE – More than 115 Airmen from McChord’s 7th Airlift Squadron will be greeted here by their family and friends Sunday afternoon after a 120-day deployment in support of the Global War on Terrorism.

The 7th AS Airmen were deployed as the 817th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron to both Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, and Manas Air Base, Kyrgyzstan.

The squadron flew more than 2,700 missions transporting more than 34,000 passengers and more than 84 million lbs of cargo moving anti-improvised explosive device vehicles, mine-detecting equipment, Iraqi aircraft, vehicle armor and other cargo to help sustain U.S. military missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The squadron also flew a Expeditionary Airlift Squadron record 16 combat airdrops of food, water, ammunition, fuel and winter supplies to forward-based troops in the mountains of Afghanistan. In addition, as one of the two C-17 EAS’s in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, they supported the largest C-17 passenger movement yet in the region in September by airlifting more than 43,000 service members in and out of the region during the summer surge.

“I am thrilled with the exceptional accomplishments of the Airmen of the 7th Airlift Squadron during this deployment,” said Lt. Col. Brian Newberry, 7th AS commander. “They exemplified our squadron motto ‘Always willing, always able’ and it was an honor to support our joint partners on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan. We take great pride in ensuring that our fellow Airmen, Soldiers, Marines and Sailors have the people and the equipment they need to win the fight in this difficult war.”