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Travis begins AEF rotations

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Lindsey Hahn and Staff Sgt. Candy Knight
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  With their mobility records in hand and their airplane pillow fluffed and ready for the long journey, more than 60 Team Travis members bid farewell to family and friends at the Travis Passenger Terminal before departing on their deployments May 5.

"I'm going to miss her," said Jay Peaveley, husband of Capt. Linda Peaveley, 60th Medical Operations Squadron. "We went out and bought webcams so that we can keep in touch and see each other every now and again."

The deployers will join other Airmen from across the Air Force as part of Air Expeditionary Force-cycles 7/8, supporting Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom.

For some Airmen, such as Staff Sgt. Janice Shipman, 60th Medical Support Squadron, this is not their first deployment, but their second, third and, in some cases, fourth.

"I'm a little sad about having to deploy, but I'm excited at the same time because I'm going with a great group of people," Sergeant Shipman said.

"This is my second deployment and I'm very excited about this one because I'm going as a medical technician and not as an escort," said Senior Airman Ashley Smith, 60th Medical Support Squadron.

For others, this will be the first time they'll experience a "real world" deployment to the area of responsibility.

"Getting the rare opportunity to visit a foreign country and experience the 'real military' is very thrilling," said Staff Sgt. Kenneth Gately, 60th Diagnostics and Therapeutic Squadron. "I couldn't be more proud."

"I don't want to leave my family," Captain Peaveley said. "But we understand the bigger picture and we knew this could happen."
For the Airmen and their families, whether it was the first deployment or the fourth, it's never easy to say goodbye.

"I going to miss my 4-year old niece, Emma Marie. She's the first thing I see when I wake up and the last thing I see when I go to bed. It's going to be hard not seeing her for so long," Airman Smith said.

"My husband, Anthony, says he's excited and okay with my leaving, but I know he's just putting up a façade of excitement and deep down he's sad and he's going to miss me just as much as I miss him," Sergeant Shipman said.