WFMJ.com News weather sports for Youngstown-Warren Ohio910th Air Reservists return home

910th Air Reservists return home

VIENNA, Ohio - A happy homecoming Tuesday at the Youngstown Air Reserve Station as more than 80 members of the 910th Air Lift Wing returned from a four month deployment to southwest Asia in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

From the windows of their commercial jet, the returning airman could see the waiting crowd of anxious families and well-wishers.

During their four month deployment, the airmen and their C-130 aircraft completed 354 missions with a total flying time of more than 2,500 hours. They moved over 7,000 passengers and 2800 tons of cargo.

There were Christmas trees in the hanger because these troops were gone for the holidays.

"Over the holidays is especially tough, so I would say, yeah, missing Christmas," said Senior Master Sgt. Paul Miller of Brookfield.

Sgt. Miller's wife Kathy is also an officer with the 910th so they have had eight deployments between them.

"The unit does really good making sure were not on the same deployment at the same time, especially for the kids," Kathy Miller said.

This homecoming is extra special for Lt. Jonathan Blackann and his wife Courtney because they got married just before he left. "We've been apart more than we've been together since we got married," Blackann said.

Another 60 reservists are due to return to Youngstown Wednesday.

The C-130 is still the workhorse of the Air Force, so these experienced airmen will probably see more deployments in the future.