Deployers support Operation Deployment

  • Published
  • 916th Public Affairs Office
SEYMOUR JOHNSON AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. --  For many families, deployments take place on the ramp or at the airport when their loved ones are leaving. They never really get a chance to see the what happens behind-the-scenes as Airmen prepare for lenthy tours away from home.

Recently though, reservists from the 916th Air Refueling Wing were able to share their experiences with a group of dependents at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey.

As part of Operation Deployment, a fun opportunity for kids ages 4 and up to be part of the deployment process, Airmen from the North Carolina-based wing opened the doors to their KC-135R Stratotanker when a C-17 was unable to fulfill the request for support due to other missions.

"When it was determined that the Globemaster was unable to make the event, our maintainers and aircrew fulfilled the mission requirement with less than 18 hours notice to get it done," said deployed First Sergeant William Lester.

Operation Deployment can also include a mission brief, time in a processing line a demonstration of the military working dogs, weapons displays and much more. More than 200 people participated in the event held in early August.