JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. –
Twelve members of the 99th Airlift Squadron returned to Joint Base Andrews April 12 following a three-month deployment in support of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom - New Dawn.
The returnees, comprised of pilots, flight attendants, computer systems operators, and maintainers were met by more than 40 family members, friends, and co-workers from the 99th AS on the flightline.
"Daddy, daddy, daddy," said Samantha Krinsky, 8, running to embrace her father Lt. Col. Jason Krinsky, detachment commander for the deployed unit.
"She's going to be glued to him for the next few days," said Pam Krinsky spouse of the detachment commander. "I'm really glad it wasn't a 365 [deployment]. The Air Force has really been kind to us."
As part of the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing the detachment was responsible for transporting distinguished visitors throughout the two theaters. Their C-20 flew a total of 52 missions, logged 336 flight hours and flew into 13 countries including Iraq and Afghanistan.
Returning from the fifth deployment of his career, Lt. Col. Krinsky said the hardest aspect of deploying is leaving family and friends behind to go into austere conditions and accomplish the mission in a new unit.
"They've really done an outstanding job with a mission effectiveness rate of 98%. A lot has happened in the world over the course of this deployment," said Lt. Col. Chris Thompson, 99th AS commander. "With the SAM FOX (Special Air Missions Foreign) motto being 'perfection is our standard' achieving 98% is phenomenal."