LANGLEY AFB, VA. –
After four months at Manas Air Base, Kyrgyzstan, nine members of the 1st Logistics Readiness Squadron and one member of the 1st Civil Engineer Squadron returned home at 4 a.m. May 12, from their four month deployment in support of operations in Southwest Asia.
For Senior Master Sgt. Gerald Johnson, 1st CES, this was his fourth deployment. This time, he was the Manas fire chief (a first for him) and was responsible for as many as 30 firefighters.
“This was a more robust mission,” said Sergeant Johnson, “and I learned a lot.”
Sergeant Johnson valued the work done on base and outside support beyond the wire.
“We had the opportunity to work in the community,” he said. “We placed emphasis of winning in the minds of the Kyrg people.”
Above all, he placed emphasis on the lives of his troops.
“I took a lot of inexperienced firefighters and brought them home safe,” he said.
Senior Master Sgt. Teldria Jones, 1st LRS, was the Manas chief of supply on this, her second deployment. This time, she was more involved with the mission.
“We supplied the parts for the aircraft,” she said, “so the parts the warfighter needed could get there on time and accomplish the mission downrange.”
An Airman on his first deployment, Airman 1st Class Yoon Choi spent his deployment as a supply troop, proud of his part in assisting all operations at Manas.
“We supported the Army forces and air transports, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,” he said. “We were ready to get the job done.”