917th Fighter Group Airmen return home from Afghanistan
By: Nancy Cook
Updated: April 11, 2012
Approximately 100 airmen from the 917th Fighter Group who have been in Afghanistan are scheduled to arrive at Barksdale Saturday, April 14, and 47 more are expected to arrive Monday, April 16th In addition, 12 A-10 Thunderbolt II jet aircraft are expected to arrive at Barksdale Monday.
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.
The Barksdale airmen were assigned to the 47th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, 451st Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and 451st Maintenance Squadron.
Barksdale airmen 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."
