SAN ANTONIO -- More than 30 defenders with the 433rd Security Forces Squadron, 433rd Airlift Wing, reunited with their families here Jan. 31.
The Reserve Citizen Airmen returned from a six-month deployment to Southwest Asia where they provided base security.
“The 433rd Security Forces Squadron has a proud history of stepping up and deploying when the nation calls,” said Maj. Matthew Darisse, 433rd SFS commander. “And despite the challenges presented with the global pandemic they did the same thing over the last six months. I’m certainly proud of their efforts.”
Tech. Sgt. Steven Redgate, 433rd SFS, embraced his family and spoke on his deployment experience.
“Our team was really, really good,” said Sergeant Redgate. “We helped each other out. Leadership was great, they stepped in covered our shifts during Christmas and Thanksgiving so we could eat together.”
Brenda Lee Redgate, Sergeant Redgate’s wife, said there were difficulties in the absence of her husband but the support from family, friends and other spouses of deployed defenders got them through.
“I’m just happy that he’s home and he’s safe,” said Brenda Lee Redgate. “And I’m glad that everybody else got to come home safe as well.”
One tool in place for spouses of deployment members is the Key Spouse program. This program keeps the spouses of deployed service members connected with each other and squadron leadership, to provide support for these families. Darisse said the program is critical especially during the global pandemic that bring new challenges for service members and their families.
“We can’t thank the family members of our defenders enough for their sacrifice” said Darisse.