2 days ago
Welcome home: 114th Fighter Wing airmen honored
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Nearly 200 South Dakota Air National Guard members have returned home safely from a mission that started in 2023. It spanned across three different regions of the world.
'Our main mission was to generate and sustain combat air power from a base in the Middle East. That entailed providing security and stability throughout the region,' Deployment Chief of Staff Jessica Bak said.
The final group returned in April from a six-month deployment. Those a part of the year-and-a-half long mission were recognized for their bravery Saturday morning in Sioux Falls.
''Welcome Home' ceremonies like this are just really important because it just goes to show that we can't do this mission without the support from our families and communities back home,' Bak said. 'It's so important to know that they have our backs.'
Many families don't reunite until after deployment. However, that wasn't the case for one father-son duo.
Technical Sergeant Roger Crook has almost 20 years of military service. This was his last mission.
'I'm going to miss some aspects. I'm going to definitely miss the people,' Roger said.
The sergeant is retiring, but not without passing along the torch to his airman son, Trevor Crook.
'It really means a lot to me, knowing that I'm the one carrying on the legacy from now, carrying out the Crook name,' Trevor said.
This was Trevor's first deployment. He said he's learned a lot from his dad and other airmen.
'Almost everyone you would run into over there, they would be willing to help you,' Trevor said.
The two worked alongside each other throughout the entire mission.
'It gave me a little bit of comfort, still having family back home,' Roger said. 'But also having family with me was kind of a nice comfort.'
City, state and air guard leaders gave remarks and thanked airmen for their service. Each guard member received two golden coins.
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