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Reservists return home after stint in Germany
By SEAN BARRON
VIENNA
Eight-year-old Ashlyn Bledsoe of Champion is looking forward to a camping trip with her father, 1st Lt. Phillip Bledsoe, but the excitement comes from a lot more than the possibility of tents and marshmallows.
Ashlyn’s feelings are magnified by the fact that she hadn’t seen her father in four months.
All of that changed, however, when Bledsoe, a two-year Air Force reservist with the 910th Airlift Wing, and his oldest daughter were reunited Friday afternoon.
He was one of an estimated 60 reservists from the 910th who arrived home at the Youngstown Air Reserve Station after a four-month deployment.
“I feel awesome,” the Champion Elementary School third-grader said shortly before the reservists arrived at 2:20 p.m. Friday in three C-130 cargo planes. “We’re planning to go camping in a week or two.”
Also on hand was Ashlyn’s mother, Jennifer Bledsoe, along with younger sisters Paige, Emily and Rebekah, 2, 4 and 6, respectively. All made and held up colorful signs welcoming their father home.
Excitement and anxiety were on the face of Jennifer Bledsoe, who recalled that all four children also had made a chain and removed one link for each day Bledsoe’s arrival drew closer.
In addition, she said, they wrote on the chain what they wanted to do when they saw their father again, such as have him take them bowling and camping, read a book and tuck them into bed.
The Bledsoes were among dozens of family members, friends and fellow reservists who gathered to await the arrival of the men and women.
The reservists, who are air-crew members and aircraft-maintenance personnel, returned from a 120-day deployment to Ramstein Air Force Base in Germany, in support of the U.S. Africa Command and the U.S. European Command, noted Master Sgt. Bob Barko Jr., superintendent of public affairs.
AFRICOM, established in October 2007, is responsible for U.S. military operations and relations with 53 African countries. They flew 97 missions, airlifted roughly 800 tons of cargo and transported about 840 passengers since leaving in mid-May, he noted.
“It’s a moment of relief, and I’m overwhelmed to come back and see the kids,” Bledsoe said moments after stepping off the plane. “I plan to take a few days off, spend time with the wife and kids and relax.”
Lisa Vigorito of Niles is accustomed to being separated from her fianc , Maj. Gary Dodge of Geneva, Ohio, but that didn’t make their reunion any less exciting.
Vigorito, who’s also an Air Force reservist, recently returned from a three-day mission to drop off and pick up equipment, she said, adding that she also came back in February from five months’ worth of training.
“It’s always easier when you’re the one away,” she said, adding that the two last saw each other about a month ago in Germany. “It’s amazing if three months pass and one of us doesn’t have to leave.“
Separation certainly won’t be part of the couple’s weekend, however. Plans include attending a wedding today and the Cleveland Browns’ home opener Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs, she added.
“I’m very glad to be home to her,” said Dodge, commander of the 38th Expeditionary Airlift Squad. “We e-mailed and talked on the phone, but it’s nothing like being there in person.”
Greeting the returning reservists was Col. Fritz Linsenmeyer, the 910th’s commander.
“I’m real proud of the work they did,” Linsenmeyer said. “I’m happy to have them home safely and reunited with their families.”