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WELL
DONE
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Welcome sign ... an ecstatic family awaits the arrival of
a much-missed member at RAAF Base Richmond.
Photo by LAC Ricky Fuller.
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THE
efforts of B707 aircrew and support personnel from No. 84 Wing in
air-to-air refuelling operations in Kyrgyzstan have earned the detachment
a Meritorious Unit Citation (MUC) awarded by the Governor-General.
84WG is only the second Air Force unit to receive the prestigious
citation since its inception in 1991. No. 2 Airfield Defence Squadron
was awarded an MUC for its work in East Timor in 2000. In all, only
eight MUCs have been awarded in the entire Australian Defence Force.
The announcement was made as the second rotation of B707 aircrew
and support personnel, deployed as part of Australia’s commitment
to the coalition against terrorism, touched down at RAAF Base Richmond
on September 29 to a heroes welcome.
About 80 members of 84WG Det returned home after spending the past
three months conducting air-to-air refuelling operations out of
Manas Air Base.
During their deployment, the refuellers boasted an outstanding 98
per cent mission completion rate and transferred more than 6 million
pounds of fuel.
The homecoming marked the end of the Australian Air Force’s
contribution to refuelling efforts in Kyrgyzstan.
After two deployments to Manas, Australia has now handed the baton
over to its European coalition partners.
Prime Minister John Howard, Chief of Defence Force General Peter
Cosgrove and Air Commander Air Vice-Marshal John Kindler were on
the tarmac to welcome the personnel as they stepped off the two
B707s.
Hundreds of family members and friends, who had gathered at the
base to greet their loved ones, cheered as members of the detachment
made their way down the aircraft stairs.
“These airmen and airwomen returning home today, as well as
the group that went before them, have done an outstanding job in
the area of operations," GEN Cosgrove said.
The Prime Minister was also full of praise, saying the members of
84WG Det had won the admiration of fellow Australians and the military
forces of the United States, France and other nations.
Four words from GEN Cosgrove, though, probably summed it up best:
“Well done, welcome home.”
The Air Force’s next contribution to the war against terrorism
will be the deployment of two P-3C Orions, at a date to be fixed,
to conduct maritime patrols in the Persian Gulf.
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