After nine months operating in southern Afghanistan, the 3rd Infantry Division’s entire aviation brigade has returned to Hunter Army Airfield.
The last flight of 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade soldiers to leave Afghanistan returned to the Savannah Army post Saturday evening carrying the unit’s final 40 deployed soldiers, including the brigade commander, Col. Allan Pepin.
“It’s a great feeling,” Pepin said after uncasing the CAB colors, signifying the brigade’s 2,500 soldiers have returned stateside. “Every time you come home to your family and see your soldiers back in the arms of their families, that’s just a really great feeling.”
The unit spent the deployment heading Task Force Falcon in southern Afghanistan that was comprised of 3rd CAB elements, a 1st Armored Division unit, and Army National Guard soldiers from 10 states. The group worked to simultaneously train their Afghan Army aviation counterparts and support ground combat and nation-building operations.
“These soldiers have done a tremendous job over that last nine months acheiving what our nation’s asked us to do,” Pepin said. “I’m very proud of every single one of our Task Force Falcon soldiers. They’ve done a phenomenal job. It was a team of teams that served with honor, and I’m very pleased to have been able to serve with them and to come home with them.”
While the mission downrange was demanding, for Master Sgt. Raphael Suarez one of the biggest challenges was leaving his wife Margarita back home with their sons, 4-year-old Raphael and now-9-month-old Erick.
“That was tough; that’s really hard,” said Suarez, who has deployed three times to Afghanistan and twice to Iraq. “You hate it. You hate to leave them, but you have to do what you have to do.”
Erick was born just before Suarez deployed. Once he left, Margarita, a former soldier herself, was alone to take care of the children.
“That was a challenge,” she said. “You’re having to deal with the baby, and the house, and getting (4-year-old Raphael) to school, and working. So, that’s really hard not having him around to help with that.”
For Abby Wheeler, having her longtime boyfriend, Capt. Mike Griffin, home from his first combat tour was elating.
“It’s overwhelming,” she said. “I’m anxious, excited; there’s a big mix of emotions. I really can’t explain the emotions I have right now.”
She wrapped him in a massive hug and kissed him as soon as he broke away from the formation in the helicopter hangar.
“It’s good to be home,” Griffin said after being greeted by Wheeler who traveled to Hunter with his parents and brother from Michigan. “We did what we need to do (in Afghanistan) and we made it back. Now it’s just great to be back and be with family and enjoy it.”