About 300 airmen return home after five-month deployment

| Thursday, February 08, 2007

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Ryan Woodard, Journal staff

ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE — After returning home from a combat zone and seeing his new baby girl for the first time, one member of Ellsworth Air Force Base’s 28th Bomb Wing was having an especially good day.

“It’s awesome,” said Sr. Airman Vince Billyk as he cuddled with his 2-month-old baby daughter, Izabella, for the first time, moments after he stepped into the Ellsworth Air Force Base reception area Wednesday morning. “She’s gorgeous.”

Billyk, a member of the 28th Bomb Wing’s 37th Bomb Squadron support personnel, was one of about 300 airmen to return to Ellsworth from southwest Asia after a five month deployment.

Izabella was born about three months into that deployment, and Billyk saw her for the first time after stepping off the plane Wednesday.

The group returned about 11 a.m. Wednesday after being overseas in support of the 379th Expeditionary Wing’s military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq and was greeted with a warm reception from family and friends.

The five-month deployment was the longest in B-1B Lancer bomber history, according to the 28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs office. Deployments generally last three to four months.

The longer deployment was tough for many families and especially the Billyks.

“It’s not fun to have Daddy miss the big event,” said Vince’s wife, Kim, expressing regret that Vince hadn’t seen his daughter right away. “She’s just so big now.”

But she said having Vince back helped compensate for him having to miss the birth.

“It’s sad that he was away. It’s good that he can come home and finally see her,” she said.

Vince agreed, citing this as the most difficult of his three deployments.

“It’s different when you know you’re going to miss a significant event for your family,” he said. “It’s one of those things you’ll never get back in your life. But it’s a sacrifice we all have to make.”

The Billyks were one of many families to make that sacrifice during the five months the 37th Bomb Squadron and support crews were fulfilling their mission overseas. The group left in September.

“It affects the families because it’s a longer period of time,” Kristine Galbreath, director of the Airmen and Family Readiness Center said of the longer deployment. “They’re used to shorter deployments.”

Thirteen-year-old Wall middle schooler Stephanie Fischer, whose father Ron Fischer is a 28th Bomb Wing munitions squadron member, said having her father gone for an extended period of time was difficult.

“It’s going to be good to hear his voice and see him,” she said before her father’s arrival. “It’s really hard. I’ve got so much stuff going on at school I wish he could be at.”

Staff Sgt. Jill Fischer, Ron’s wife and a 28th bomb wing member herself, said Ron’s deployment was difficult.

But dealing with deployments is something that she — as a member of the military herself — is used to.

“Well, I’m excited,” she said while waiting with her stepdaughter Stephanie for Ron to get off the plane. “We’ve been doing this on and off for five years. It’s old school. Once he gets home, we get a few months together before I have to leave.”

She said experience lessens the difficulty of the deployments.

“I think it’s easier because I know what to expect,” she said. “I know the drill.”

The 37th squadron and its personnel were relieved overseas by the 34th Bomb Squadron and its personnel. That group left Jan 28.

Both squadrons’ main responsibilities included supporting ground troops in various military operations, including combat.

Some of the 37th’s accomplishments included participating in the largest Air Force airstrike since 2003, conducting more than 350 safe combat sorties and supporting operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom at the same time, according to the 28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs office.

After taking part in those accomplishments, members of the returning group were looking forward to spending time with their families.

Billyk said he is extremely glad to be back and plans on “catching up” with holidays he missed, such as Thanksgiving, Christmas and a few birthdays.

Capt. Jack Skiles, a 37th Bomb Squadron weapons systems officer whose three daughters and wife, Bridgette, greeted him at Ellsworth, said it was “great” to be back.

And his 11-year old daughter Alexis was glad to have him.

“I’m glad my daddy’s home,” she said.

Contact Ryan Woodard at 394-8412 or ryan.woodard@rapidcityjournal.com