This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Hill Air Force Base • Like any military homecoming, there were hugs and kisses welcoming loved ones home.
There was also a farewell of sorts Tuesday. The 300 airmen from the 421st Fighter Squadron who returned from Afghanistan represented what could be the last deployment of Hill Air Force Base's F-16 fighter jets.
There was no ceremony marking the milestone before the 421st left Bagram Airfield, but the change was on the airmen's minds, said Lt. Col Dave Smith, commander of the 419th Fighter Wing, a reserve unit that contributed personnel to the deployment.
"Internally, they know what it is," Smith said, "and they're proud of it."
Smith, an F-16 pilot, is experiencing Hill's transition. Later this year, he will learn to fly the F-35, the U.S. military's new fighter jet that is replacing a number of aircraft in the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps.
F-35s were sitting on the tarmac Tuesday at Hill beside some of the F-16s that were in Afghanistan as recently as last week. The Air Force is training pilots and technicians while also working out problems that still exist with the F-35. It could be years before the jet is deployed in combat, leaving open the possibility of another F-16 deployment from Hill. Otherwise, Hill's F-16s will slowly be dispersed to other Air Force units.
As for the eight-month deployment that ended Tuesday, the 421st's commander, Lt. Col. Mike "Danger" Meyer, said the squadron's F-16s attacked ground targets throughout Afghanistan and escorted medical helicopters transporting wounded soldiers.
"It's not just about dropping bombs," said Meyer, who was one of the pilots who flew on the deployment.
The 421st had jets in the air 24 hours a day and more on standby, Meyer said.
There were no casualties, but an F-16 crashed March 29 shortly after taking off from Bagram. The pilot safely ejected. The Air Force has said hostile fire did not cause the crash, but it has not specified the cause. An investigation is ongoing.
Meyer did not discuss the crash Tuesday, but he said he was proud of the way the 421st responded.
"We didn't skip a beat," he said. "We were back, flying missions that night."
Amanda Cronin welcomed her husband home Tuesday and introduced him to their new daughter, 5-month-old Madelyn. Tech. Sgt. William Cronin couldn't be in the delivery room, but he attended the birth via video conferencing.
It was the Cronin's second child and the family's second deployment.
"It was actually harder to say goodbye the second time than it was the first time because I knew what to expect," Amanda Cronin said as she was waiting for the airmen to arrive.
Lisa Bradbury and her 6-year-old daughter made the dresses they wore Tuesday. They and the Bradburys' 8-year-old son were waiting for Master Sgt. Scott Bradbury. The couple have been married for 10 years, and it's his third deployment.
He didn't miss any pregnancies or births this time, but he was absent for milestones like kids' learning to ride a bike and losing teeth.
"He's a big part of our lives," Lisa Bradbury said. "He's a great husband and father, so having him away is difficult."
Twitter: @natecarlisle