CIVIL ENGINEER SQUADRON MEMBERS DEPLOY

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Charlie Miller
  • 445th Airlift Wing
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB, Ohio --  Sixty members of the United States Air Force Reserve's 445th Airlift Wing left Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio for Southwest Asia on Tuesday, September 9, 2008. 

The reservists, part of the 445th's Civil Engineer Squadron, will be deployed to Southwest Asia for the next six months providing construction support. Fifty six of the airmen will deploy to one area of Southwest Asia with the remaining 4 heading to another area. 

"We are focused and ready," said Lt. Col. Chris Cunningham, commander of the team. "We bring to the table our civil engineering skills and now, after our training at Ft. Lewis, Washington, combat skills. Our goal is to leave everyone better than we found them." 

In previous years, the squadron has sent teams to Kirkuk, Iraq where they worked with the Air Force but this is their first "in lieu of" duty which places the airmen under the direction of the U.S. Army. In this case, the Air Force Reservists are filling job slots that the Army is unable to fill, hence the "in lieu of" title. 

About 50 family members and friends were on hand to send-off the CES members. The airmen flew on a contracted jet from Wright-Patt to Naval Station Norfolk, Norfolk, Va. before heading overseas. 

For Tech. Sgt. Sean Collins this marks his fourth trip overseas. For his wife of just two years, Kimberly, this marks her first experience with deployments. 

"I'm feeling a lot of emotions," Mrs. Collins said. "I support him whole heartedly and I'm proud to be his wife. I'm actually very excited, too, because this is something he loves."
Kim Trivett's son Staff Sgt. Scott Trivett, 24, has been to Iraq twice and is now on his third deployment but it's still hard to see him leave, she said. 

"I'm anxious but I'm very proud," Mrs. Trivett said, adding that the combat readiness training with the Army at Ft. Lewis has made both her and Scott feel more comfortable. 

"I was impressed with the Army and the training," Sgt. Trivett said. "They had a great 'We are all in this together' attitude." The sergeant had the largest group of family at the send off with both his parents, two sisters, a brother and a niece there to wish him well. 

One of the few remaining Vietnam veterans in the 445th, Master Sgt. Dale Shellenberger, is part of the team. 

"I'm the oldest one on this deployment," the sergeant said, smiling. "I'm still good to go. I have plenty of life left in me." Sergeant Shellenberger, who turns 59 while in Southwest Asia, had a 16-year break in service before joining the Air Force Reserve in 1986. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1969. 

For Senior Master Sgt. Jeff Clark, this marks his second deployment. His wife Sue said she already can't wait for him to return. 

"This is a very emotional time, I can hardly talk about it," Mrs. Clark said. "I'm comfortable with the deployment because he feels good about it and that really helps me." 

CES commander Lt. Col. Thomas Kuepper will lead the four-man team. The colonel will serve as the commander of the Civil Engineer squadron there and be in charge of about 150 airmen. 

"It feels like we are going home, so to speak," joked Captain Kelly Shields who will serve under the colonel as Engineering Officer. For both the colonel and the captain, this marks their third deployment to Southwest Asia. Even though the four man team's mission is separate from the larger groups mission, Col. Kuepper said he will keep in contact with his troops. 

While CES sent 60 members of its squadron for the six month deployment, they could have sent more, Col. Cunningham said. 

"Although this is an activation I had to turn people away," the colonel said. "People fought to get on this deployment; I actually had a waiting list." 

In the past few years well over 100 members of the CES have deployed overseas for duty in support of ongoing operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.