News>Airmen, families honored during Heroes Homecoming
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HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. –Tech. Sgt. David Babineau, a flight chief with the 66th Security Forces Squadron, is welcomed home by Lt. Gen. CR Davis, Electronic Systems Center commander, during a homecoming celebration at Jan. 12. The event officially welcomed home 54 Airmen who have returned from a deployment during the past six months. (U.S. Air Force photo by Mark Wyatt)
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. – Unified Voices of New England sing the national anthem during a homecoming celebration Jan. 12. Fifty-four personnel assigned to the base who returned from deployments during the past six months were honored along with their families during the Heroes Homecoming event. (U.S. Air Force photo by Mark Wyatt)
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. -- Lt. Col. Romero Reid, 66th Air Base Group deputy commander, serves as flight commander during a homecoming celebration Jan. 12. The event officially welcomed home 54 Airmen who have returned from a deployment during the past six months. They were honored along with their families during the Heroes’ Homecoming event. (U.S. Air Force photo by Mark Wyatt)
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. -- Lt. Gen. CR Davis, Electronic Systems Center commander, places a medallion around the neck of Staff Sgt. Richard Crotty with his military working dog, Danita, during a homecoming celebration Jan. 12. Crotty, a MWD handler from the 66th Security Forces Squadron, returned from his deployment with Danita during the past six months and was honored along with his family during the Heroes Homecoming event. (U.S. Air Force photo by Mark Wyatt)
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. -- Lt. Gen. CR Davis, Electronic Systems Center commander, shakes hands with Medal of Honor recipient Navy Capt. Tom Hudner at a homecoming celebration Jan. 12. The Heroes Homecoming event welcomed home 54 Airmen that are assigned to the base and have returned home from deployments during the past six months. (U.S. Air Force photo by Mark Wyatt)
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. -- Lt. Gen. CR Davis, Electronic Systems Center commander, places a medallion around the neck of Chief Master Sgt. Kevin L. Call, ESC command chief, during a homecoming celebration Jan. 12. Chief Call was among 54 personnel assigned to the base that have returned from deployments during the past six months and were honored along with their families during the Heroes Homecoming event. (U.S. Air Force photo by Mark Wyatt)
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. – Senior Airman Robert R. Aikens Jr., with his K-9, Frodo, shakes hands with Col. Stacey L. Yike, 66th Air Base Group commander, during a homecoming celebration Jan. 12. Aikens was among 54 personnel assigned to the base that have returned from deployments during the past six months and were honored along with their families during the Heroes Homecoming event. (U.S. Air Force photo by Mark Wyatt)
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. – Airmen march into the Aero Club Hangar during a homecoming celebration on Jan. 12. Fifty-four members of Hanscom Air Force Base who recently returned from deployments during the past six months were honored along with their families during the Heroes Homecoming event. (U.S. Air Force photo by Mark Wyatt)
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. – After the ceremony, Heroes Homecoming attendees take photos of the Budweiser Clydesdales in the Aero Club Hangar Jan. 12. The horses were just one of many things honorees and their families were able to take photos of during the event. (U.S. Air Force photo by Mark Wyatt)
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. - Col. Stacy L. Yike (left), 66th Air Base Group commander, looks at Victor Thiphavong’s dog tag memento during the Heroes Homecoming ceremony in the Aero Club Hangar Jan. 12. Thiphavong was one of the many family members of returned deployers honored during the celebration. (U.S. Air Force photo by Linda LaBonte Britt)
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. -- Senior Airman Kyle Madden (left), from the 66th Security Forces Squadron, is all smiles as he shows Paul Marotta, Hanscom Federal Credit Union chairman; Jonathan Elias, WBZ-TV anchor; and David Spraque, Hanscom Federal Credit Union CEO, items he recieved from donations made to Airmen returning from deployments. Madden was one of 54 Airmen who have returned home from a deployment in the past six months honored during the Heroes Homecoming celebration Jan. 12. (U.S. Air Force photo by Linda LaBonte Britt)
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. – Laura King, with her husband, Capt. Timothy King, and daughters (from left to right) Holly, Lily and Daisy, is interviewed by Jack Harper from WCVB-TV, after a homecoming celebration Jan. 12. Mrs. King was interviewed about how her life was affected while her husband was deployed. (U.S. Air Force photo by Mark Wyatt)
by Sarah Olaciregui
66th Air Base Group Public Affairs
1/18/2012 - HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. -- When Jonathan Elias, master of ceremonies during the Heroes Homecoming celebration, asked the Airmen if they were glad to be back home from deployment, it was met with a resounding "Hooah!"
When he asked family members, co-workers and friends if they were glad to have them back home, the hangar erupted in applause.
On Jan. 12 in the Aero Club Hangar the Heroes Homecoming event honored 54 Airmen, including one Department of Defense civilian as well as two military working dogs, who have returned home from deployments in the past six months. The celebration also honored family members who sacrificed while their spouse, father or mother was away.
"Think about it," said Elias, a WBZ-TV anchor and 66th Air Base Group honorary commander. "You're plucked out of your life...Think about all the things you miss.
"We are also proud of our family members that sacrifice so much while their loved ones are away," he said. "They deserve a huge applause."
Lt. Gen. CR Davis, Electronic Systems Center commander, thanked the troops and their families, as well.
"If you ask them, most of these Airmen would rather not have this attention, but I think it's important we do this," the general said. "At Hanscom we do have a very important mission for this country."
Davis noted that the honorees ranged in rank from airman 1st class to lieutenant colonel and served in a variety of roles, from contracting to "guarding the wire" or working in an Air Operations Center.
"You made a difference somewhere in someone's life" he said. "Now there is some degree of hope that did not exist before."
After the general's introduction, each Airman and their family were invited on stage. Davis presented the troops with a medallion and family members received dog tags from Col. Stacy L. Yike, 66th Air Base Group commander.
After the ceremony, the honorees and attendees were able to meet Medal of Honor recipient Navy Capt. Tom Hudner and some area sports stars. Attendees could take their picture with the Red Sox mascot, Wally, the Red Sox 2004 and 2007 World Series trophies or the Celtics 2008 NBA Championship trophy.
Two Budweiser Clydesdale horses were brought into the hangar for all to see, touch and take photos with. Pizza and beverages were also available to all.
Senior Master Sgt. Donald Gonsalves, Joint Personal Property Shipping Office Northeast Det. 2 superintendent and one of the returning heroes, summed up the focus of the celebration.
"To have a celebration like this is important," he said. "These servicemembers put on their uniform every day. They raised their right hand and took an oath to defend our country. A lot of people have never been put in that situation and don't know the freedoms we give to them."
His wife, Bethanie, echoed his comments and added to the family member's point of view.
"When your loved one is deployed, you don't take the time to reflect on what they're doing," she said. "This celebration gives you the time to reflect and realize what your spouse did. I also loved to see my kids be recognized because they missed out on things, too."
Twice a year the base holds the celebration to honor the sacrifices made by military members who have returned from a deployment within the past six months. The next Heroes Homecoming will be held in the summer.
