A group of soldiers walking down the street.
Airmen from the 621st Contingency Response Wing deploy from Travis Air Force Base, CA, March 30, 2022. U.S. forces deployed to multiple NATO nations to assure Allies and deter further aggression in the region. USAF photo by Nicholas Pilch
A soldier sitting in front of two women and a baby.
SSgt Efrain Cardinas, left, 921st Contingency Response Squadron Air Transportation Specialist, says goodbye to his family before deploying from Travis Air Force Base, CA, March 31, 2022. USAF photo by Nicholas Pilch

Thank You, Deployed Airmen

By MS. TIFFANY L. TOLBERT, STAFF WRITER

The defense of our nation requires Airmen to be ready to deploy at all times. Consequently, at some point in their career, an Airman will likely receive news of an opportunity to be deployed—to take on the task of defending the people and resources of the United States.

Deployment can hold various meanings, depending on an Airman’s job, unit, and service branch; however, every career deploys (including careers such as paralegals and pharmacists). For some Airmen, deployment means traveling to and working from an austere environment at a moment’s notice; for others, it can mean executing wartime missions from a home station. Nevertheless, in all scenarios, how Airmen accept, conduct, and complete their deployment embodies courage and warrants appreciation.

For many Airmen, what removes the fear is getting the opportunity to fulfill the mission. Once fear succumbs to service, deployment can become a valuable and memorable learning experience.

Deployment often means moving away from one’s regular duty station to a specified location—usually outside the United States. It may mean spending several months to a year (or longer) void of family and other familiarities like pets, comfort foods and restaurants, shopping centers, parks, privacy, and warm weather. Feeling detached from support systems (outside other Airmen) can make it hard to process and adjust to unfamiliar territories. Airmen are respected and admired for their agility to persevere and carry out their professional duties; in completing arduous mental and physical tasks, Airmen skillfully balance a wide range of emotions with what they have been trained to do. Even while being apart from friends and family, or perhaps nervous about how the deployment will unfold, they show bravery in every action. One Airman recalls experiencing other traumatic stressors while deployed: “Rocket attacks were frequent,†he said. “There were 98 that I can remember, and I had a couple [of] close calls. One went about 15 to 20 feet over my head, but I got to the bunker in time … it puts you in a different place.â€

Deployment can be a demanding experience. For Airmen, it is the unknown that causes the most trouble—whether they are being deployed in a war zone, or heading to remote areas removed from everyone and everything they know. Airmen often have to function in environments that are dangerous and outside of their comfort zone.

For many Airmen, what removes the fear is getting the opportunity to fulfill the mission. Once fear succumbs to service, deployment can become a valuable and memorable learning experience. Providing comfort and helping others also work to remove the fear. This includes but is not limited to: aiding families and children, forming friendships with joint and coalition partners, and displaying a sense of pride in the Air Force and the United States.

Through humanitarian aid, Airmen have the chance to pay their respects to others by showing kindness, empathy, and compassion. Correspondingly, Airmen are respected and admired for their hard work, compassion, kindness, service, and their abilities to show bravery and overcome fear.

Regardless of the type of deployment, Airmen do their best to complete the mission given to them. The next time you are deployed, remember that you are not alone— your friends, family, and fellow Airmen are all supporting you.