WEBVTT

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- [Steven] The 103rd Airlift Wing hosted a sendoff ceremony

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for its 300 deploying Airmen,

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at Bradley Air National Guard Base, on February 11th.

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This is the Connecticut Air National Guard's

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first large scale deployment since converting

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to the C-130 Hercules Tactical Airlift Mission.

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Connecticut's deployers will serve an ongoing expeditionary

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combat operations in the Middle East,

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that will include tactical airlift, maintenance,

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security, and logistics.

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They will join the 100 Airmen

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from the 103rd Air Control Squadron,

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that deployed late last year.

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Senior Airman Gerard St. George,

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of the 103rd Security Forces Squadron,

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says he is looking forward to his first deployment.

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- I have a great, great fire team leader.

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We're ready to go.

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There's an awesome group of guys,

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that enlisted with me, going on to deployment,

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so we're in good hands.

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It should be fun.

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- [Steven] Distinguished visitors,

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including elected officials, expressed their appreciation

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for the deployers' service and dedication.

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US Representative Joe Courtney said the Airmen

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will play a vital role in the ongoing mission,

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in the Middle East.

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- The air power component of it is critical,

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in terms of the success of that mission.

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And again, Connecticut is gonna be right in the middle

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of that effort, and we are so proud of you

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for the work that's gonna take place.

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- [Steven] Wing Commander Colonel Frank Detorie

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said this deployment is the culmination of all the work

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that went into the Wing's conversion.

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- Now, we're finally at the end of that tunnel.

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We're finally into that very long, challenging road,

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and kind of a last hurdle, last stop is this deployment.

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It validates everything we've been through

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in the last 10 years.

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The Air Force and the world

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is about to get to be a little bit better place

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because the Flying Yankees are finally back in the fun.

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- [Steven] Reporting from the 103rd Airlift Wing,

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I'm Senior Airman Steven Tucker.