185th Airmen welcomed home

Sioux City, Iowa -- Unit members with the Iowa Air National Guard's 185th Air Refueling Wing that have deployed in the last year were welcomed home during a ceremony held at the base in Sioux City, Iowa on May 2, 2015.

The unit had 138 Airmen deploy to eight different locations throughout the world in support of federal missions.

"I am always amazed at your ability to come together, work as a team and accomplish the mission," said Col. Lawrence Christensen, commander of the 185th, while addressing the members of the unit who deployed.

The Airmen recognized had deployed for at least 30 days and many of them deployed to locations in southwest Asia.

Family of the Airmen, members of the community, and local community leaders attended the ceremony to welcome the Airmen home.

"We must take care of each other and our families in order to continue on with such success," said Christensen.

Because the Airmen deployed at different times and often in small groups, it is to have a ceremony for each deployment. 

"We don't have the big ceremony and send off because we are constantly going and doing the job," said Senior Master Sgt. Ron Bennett, deployment manager for the 185th. "Instead we are in a constant state of deploying, coming home, and getting ready to do it again."