Welcome home, 10th AS

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Frances Kriss
  • 62nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. --  More than 75 Airmen from the 62nd Airlift Wing's 10th Airlift Squadron returned Feb. 5 after a 60-day deployment to Southwest Asia.

The Airmen were deployed as the 817th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron. They were accompanied by Airmen from Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, and Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii.

"I am extremely proud of the total force team that deployed with the 10th Airlift Squadron this time," said Lt. Col. Clint ZumBrunnen, 10th AS commander and the 817th EAS commander. "We are proud of what we have accomplished and excited to be returning home!"

Their mission was to provide global strategic airlift, airdrop, aeromedical evacuation and humanitarian relief, to create an air bridge for personnel, equipment and supplies throughout the assigned areas of responsibility.

During their deployment, the C-17 squadron flew more than 690 combat sorties, equaling more than 1,490 hours, moved more than 48,000 passengers and delivered more than 26.5 million pounds of combat sustainment cargo for U.S. military forces in Southwest Asia.

"We moved tens of thousands of troops into and out of Afghanistan safely and efficiently," said Zumbrunnen.

The 62nd AW's four active duty flying squadrons share responsibility for the deployed squadron and rotate operating the 817th EAS continuously. The deployments allow Air Mobility Command to consistently position assets closer to the action.