BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan - The Pennsylvania Air National Guard unit stationed at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove, Pa., will be transitioning to a joint interagency installation as a result of the Department of Defense's 2005 Base Realignment and Closure recommendations. With the new mission coming onboard, the 111th Fighter Wing is scheduled to lose its fleet of A-10 Thunderbolt IIs beginning in the spring of 2009. As they wrap up their current deployment to Bagram Air Field, it could very well be their last combat deployment with their beloved "warthog."
During their 45-day rotation here, the 103rd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, part of the 111th FW, gave it their all as they dropped more than 30,000 pounds of ordnance and fired more than 25,000 30 mm rounds while supporting the close-air-support mission over Afghanistan.
Lt. Col. Mike Shenk, 103rd EFS assistant director of operations has deployed six times with the 111th FW and is completing his second rotation at Bagram.
"As far as kinetic ops, we are much busier this time," he said, comparing this deployment to his previous one in December 2002 and January 2003. "Everyone in the squadron has been a part of a mission that dropped bombs or shot the gun."
It's not dropping bombs the aircrew likes to do; it's having the opportunity to help troops on the ground.
"The A-10 air-to-ground mission gives us the opportunity to go out and do something specifically to help the guys on the ground. To be able to go out, take the pressure off, or get the enemy off of their back for even a little while is real gratifying," Colonel Shenk said. "It's not too uncommon to walk into the BX and run into some ground guys who ask us if we fly the A-10. They routinely tell us how much they appreciate us taking care of them."
Despite being the last A-10 deployment for this unit, spirits have remained high.
"It's been pretty impressive," said Lt. Col. Thomas Fennell, 103rd EFS mission planning cell chief. "Everyone focuses on the task at hand and the things we can control versus those we can't."
Colonel Fennell, who has flown the A-10 for 10 years and is also on his second deployment to Bagram, sites one mission in particular as testament to the focus of the squadron. Two traditional guardsmen, who work as commercial pilots the majority of the time, responded to a "troops in contact" call from French troops.
The reality that this could be the last time they will fly the A-10 in combat is not far from the pilot's minds.
"It saddens me that they are eliminating a combat squadron - a very capable one," said Colonel Fennell. "It's been one of the best combat squadrons I've been with."
That same sentiment can be heard from the 111th FW maintainers deployed to the 455th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron.
"It's kind of sad in a way," said Master Sgt. Gregory Farnack, an A-10 crew chief. "We've always done a good job everywhere we went."
Many of the 111th FW maintainers volunteered to deploy this time - for the chance to work on the A-10s in combat one last time.
"In case it is the last time, we wanted to come and go out on a high note," Sergeant Farnack said.
This deployment has been more rewarding than challenging for many of the maintainers.
"The airplanes like to fly," said Master Sgt. Anthony Miller, the maintenance production superintendent who has been with the unit for 20 years. "The more they fly the less they break. It's a good feeling."
Sergeant Miller said it is also a good feeling when he sees the jets come back with no bombs.
"To me, I see the Air Force as planes," he said. "Everybody had the mind frame that we have a job to do. Seeing the airplanes come back after dropping ordnance, we know we have a purpose. We know that every airplane we have up in the air is potentially saving someone's life."
As much as the pilots and maintainers enjoy working with the A-10, many of them said they will stay with the 111th FW even after the aircraft leaves.
"I've got no regrets," Colonel Fennell said. "The things I've wanted to do, I've accomplished."
"It's been a lot of deployments for me," Colonel Shenk said. "I'm looking forward to spending more time at home."
Even for those who will leave the unit, they can be proud of what they've accomplished during this deployment. The entire 111th FW team on the ground and in the air put forth their best effort in supporting Operation Enduring Freedom with A-10 close air support.