Ellsworth airmen take off for support deployment - KOTA Territory News
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Roughly 350 airmen from Ellsworth Air Force Base are headed overseas.
Members of the 34th squadron of the 28th Bomb Wing got on planes to southwest Asia Saturday evening.
The airmen will take the place of their sister squadron, the 37th bomb squadron, also out of Ellsworth.
They'll fly support missions for ground troops in Afghanistan, including B-1 bomber and reconnaissance missions.
The group is a mix of seasoned veterans and those on their first deployments, but there are jitters all around.
"Whether it's your first time or whether you've gone a handful of times," said Lt. Col. Joseph Sheffield, the unit's director of operations. "It's always something that is unique and new, and you have to get yourself prepared every time, even if you're going to the same location."
"I'm very excited, a little nervous," said Senior Airman Nery Bolano. "I don't know what to expect. This is my first time deploying. So I'm just ready to rock and roll."
Average deployments last between six and seven months.
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