Rocketeers en route to war
By Kenneth Fine
Published in News on August 22, 2010 10:30 AM
Hundreds of members of the 4th Fighter Wing's 336th Rocketeers are currently en route to Bagram Aifield, Afghanistan, after boarding a commercial airliner bound for war moments ago on the Seymour Johnson Air Force Base flight line.
And before they left, their commander, Col. Patrick Doherty, told them just how ready they are for the fight that awaits them -- that he and other senior leaders would ensure their families are taken care of during the unit's six-month tour.
Their charge while deployed: to provide 24/7 F-15E Strike Eagle air support to Coalition forces on the ground -- watching over convoys, responding to troops-in-contact calls and, when necessary, dropping ordnance.
For complete coverage of the send-off, including interviews with several airmen, their commander and loved ones, see Monday's News-Argus.