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Philadelphia Inquirer

Posted on Thu, Mar. 06, 2003

Air Unit Gets Orders To Deploy

The 111th Fighter Wing, stationed at Willow Grove, has seen action before with its A-10 "Warthog" jets.

By Chris Gray
Inquirer Staff Writer

HORSHAM - The buildup toward war in Iraq hit home again this week, as 200 members of the often-deployed 111th Fighter Wing of the Pennsylvania Air National Guard were ordered to report to Southwest Asia and other overseas locations.

"The folks are standing by to leave at a moment's notice," said Maj. Preston Smith, executive officer of the unit stationed at the Willow Grove Joint Reserve Base. The deployment could last a year, he said yesterday.

About 140 of the pilots, aircraft support crews and maintenance personnel in the 111th Fighter Wing are to go to Southwest Asia - a general geographical term used by the military to describe the Middle East, Smith said. The rest will go to various locations to assist other Air Force units.

The 111th Fighter Wing flies A-10 Thunderbolt II jets - heavily armed ground-attack aircraft also known as "Warthogs." Although the A-10s are not as fast or high-flying as the more glamorous F-16s, they can handle several functions, such as blasting tanks and other threats to ground troops or serving as an in-air traffic controller for fighter planes, Smith said.

The unit also specializes in running search- and-rescue missions for downed pilots. Typically, the powerful A-10s hold off the enemy long enough for helicopters to go in for the rescue, Smith said.

The Warthogs played a crucial role in the military's fight against al-Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan, and about 80 members of the 111th Fighter Wing were deployed there last December. While a few remain at Bagram Air Base, most returned in January, Smith said.

The unit is no stranger to Iraq, as members have patrolled the no-fly zone in the southern part of the country on previous deployments in 2001, 1999 and 1995.

At the base on Tuesday, guard members lined up to update emergency contact information, pick up their identification tags, and get financial and legal affairs in order. Then they returned to their homes to wait for aircraft that would take them overseas - and say their last good-byes to family members.

Michael, an aircraft maintenance officer from Gilbertsville, who asked that his full name not be printed for security reasons, said he didn't anticipate major problems with the current mission.

"I'm very confident that we're going to be fine and we'll do whatever is right," said the 40-year-old major. "I'm more concerned for the people I'm leaving behind here."

That includes coworkers at Sieman's, a software development company where Michael works as a group manager. The company has been very understanding about his deployment and will shift his duties while he is gone, he said.

E-mail will be the most effective way that he can stay in touch with his wife and 8-year-old daughter, who has been told that "we're going over there to do things that need to be done to make the world a safer place," the officer said.

"She understands that - as far as an 8-year-old could," he said.


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Good luck and Godspeed, bros.

Well, if they have to stop for gas on their way across the Pond, I hope they have a couple of extra unit patches for 30MM Jr!

And WELCOME, AIR2MUD!
Peace through Superior Firepower<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

Edited by - 30mike-mike on Mar 07 2003 09:02 AM

_________________
\"Those who hammer their guns into plows
will plow for those who do not.\"
- Thomas Jefferson

REMEMBER OPSEC/COMSEC AKA LOOSE LIPS SINK SHIPS<img src=icon_smile_blackeye.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_dissapprove.gif border=0 align=middle>

"GLAD TO HAVE BEEN THERE AND HAVE BEEN PROUD TO HAVE SERVERED"

Edited by - MICHAEL PIJAR on Mar 07 2003 09:38 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
Well, if they have to stop for gas on their way across the Pond, I hope they have a couple of extra unit patches for 30MM Jr!

And WELCOME, AIR2MUD!
Peace through Superior Firepower<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

Thanks for the welcome, a few posts from now you may remember who I am...

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
REMEMBER OPSEC/COMSEC AKA LOOSE LIPS SINK SHIPS<img src=icon_smile_blackeye.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_dissapprove.gif border=0 align=middle>

"GLAD TO HAVE BEEN THERE AND HAVE BEEN PROUD TO HAVE SERVERED"

Edited by - MICHAEL PIJAR on Mar 07 2003 09:38 AM
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>

Amen brother...you don't have to tell me; if you only knew what pains I have gone through recently due to that very subject!

I simply re-posted something that was already out there. It is public knowledge, and I figured the regulars (some of them not too far from this very unit) on here would appreciate hearing their tax dollars are hard at work.

As a quick aside, I was wondering what has been done in the past to 'support' the boys who are deployed. I noticed on here a while ago that care packages had been sent, and I would like to do the same for these guys. I'm not sure if the newspaper article mentions it, but this same unit only recently returned from another deployment. Most had less than two full months at home, missing Christmas with their families, some also missed Thanksgiving. It has to be hard, especially on their families. The least we can do is show them that the average Joe or Jane Bag-o-donuts appreciates their sacrifice to the continued protection of America, the war on terrorism, and the liberation of the Iraqi people from a modern-day Stalin.

ATTACK!

Somebody is gonna feed new hog some tanks. Nice to know training went well. Godspeed.

Thanx for the update brother, i do live right where these fellows are leaving.

God speed to them.

Air2, did you ever get my email?


"We shall leave no man behind"

air2mud can not send perisibles easily, but if you guys are game I can get you some cajun seasoning and easy to make jumbalya mix. Give me an idea of how much you would like. Toni seasoning can easing last a few months in house hold of 6 using it every day. The Jumbalya will be a one shot deal though.