News Release- SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. - Airmen from Shaw Air Force Base are scheduled to depart at noon Saturday on an air expeditionary force deployment to Iraq.
Last week, nearly 300 Airmen from the 55th Fighter Squadron and 55th Aircraft Maintenance Unit "Shooters," as well as Airmen from the 20th Component Maintenance and Equipment Maintenance squadrons, passed through the deployment processing center to complete their pre-deployment paperwork.
Prior to departure, these Airmen, along with their family members, friends and co-workers, will gather at 8 a.m. in Hangar 1200 on Shaw's flight line to say goodbye.
An advanced echelon team, or ADVON team, of Airmen and mission-essential equipment will depart for Iraq tomorrow in order to prepare the way for their squadron and unit members.
"The ADVON team usually consists of maintenance personnel, supply personnel, pilots and sometimes security forces," said 1st Lt. Ashley Everage, Shaw's installation deployment officer. "But how the team is organized could change depending on the deployment location and the actual situation of the deployed environment they're going to.
"Some places may have more resources than others and may need more initial support to bed down and prepare for the main body (of deploying Airmen). They leave early so that they will be in place at the deployed location prior to main body and prepare for the main body's arrival."
According to Everage, the passengers deploying on Saturday include pilots, maintainers, medical technicians and client support administrators. During the deployment, pilots will patrol the skies in F-16CJ fighter jets to provide armed over-watch and close air support for ground forces.
Shaw's 77th Fighter Squadron "Gamblers" are currently deployed to Balad Air Base, Iraq, and they are scheduled to return later this month.
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