The U.S. Air Force 9th Communications Squadron show their posters prepared for the arrival of deployed airmen at Beale Air Force Base on April 7. Airmen returned after a six-month deployment supporting the 387th Air Expeditionary Wing. Photo courtesy of U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Frederick A. Brown

BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, CA (MPG) - Family, friends and teammates gathered April 7 on the tarmac at Beale Air Force Base to welcome their loved ones after months deployed.

Ninth Reconnaissance Wing (9 RW) Airmen supported the 378th Air Expeditionary Wing (378 AEW) for six months, providing critical command and control, operational and administrative capabilities. They returned to Beale Air Force Base following the successful completion of their deployment.

The deployment follows the 24-month cycle of the Air Force Force Generation (AFFORGEN) model that commits units at the wing-level, allowing faster spin-up of the complex, modern systems required on today’s battlefield. By deploying a team, that team can more effectively work together down-range.

Chief Creek, Command Chief Sergent at Beale Air Force Base and of the 378th for the last six months said one of the advantages is “being able to go out and have command elements together.”

Still, the ability of airmen from disparate bases to effectively fill mission requirements down range was highlighted.

“We saw airmen come together from across well over 40 bases to perform record levels of combat ops over there,” said Col. Charles Hansen, 9th Mission Support Group Commander (9th MSG).

After months away from home, this large chunk from Team Beale returned April 7, completing the “deployment” phase of AFFORGEN and entering the “reset” phase of recovery and training.

“When they left, it was definitely something where we had to put a lot of processes in place and brainstorm how to fill the gap while all these people were gone,” said 1st Lt. Zachary Sims, officer in charge of requirements and optimization within the operations section of the 9th Civil Engineer Squadron at Beale Air Force Base.

Some of those processes included carrying more weight and branching out into roles: “I enjoyed more responsibilities pushed down to me but grateful they will be back with us,” said Sims.

Along with loved ones on the flightline, returning Airmen were greeted with refreshments provided by the Beale Military Liaison Council, along with resource information at the Military and Family Readiness Center.

The following day, deployers returned to the Community Activity Center for in-processing and to start the reconstitution phase of the deployment cycle. This included briefing, medical and financial breakouts, and collecting luggage from the deployment during the “bag-drag.”

Chief Sgt. DeCarlos Harrison, senior enlisted leader, 9th MSG, said that “reintegration is about the support here on base and it helps get back to normalcy. The support we are getting here is reinvigorating.”

Echoing Harrison’s feelings of support, Col. Hansen said, “The return was no doubt a very unique experience. After 20-plus years of deployments, it is a great point of pride in how the 9th Reconnaissance Wing and team greeted chock one.”

With their return, the Airmen of Team Beale rejoin their units, ready to continue supporting the mission and contributing to the Air Force's operational capabilities.