Welcome back, heroes: Team Little Rock rolls out red carpet for deployers

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Nestor Cruz
  • 19th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark. --  Team Little Rock deployers are receiving "rock star" treatment during Welcome Home Warriors homecoming event Feb. 4 at 5 p.m. at Hangar 1080.

The event is designed to recognize individual deployers who returned home through commercial airports between Nov. 5, 2010, up to now, said 1st Lt. Michael McKenna, Welcome Home Warriors wing point of contact from the 41st Airlift Squadron.

"These people came home from a six-month, eight-month or year-long deployment and didn't get the same welcome as the big groups [of deployers]," said Lieutenant McKenna. "This is [19th Airlift Wing Commander Col. Mike Minihan]'s chance to show them how much we appreciate all they have done."

Lieutenant McKenna and 1st Lt. John Kryzak, Welcome Home Warriors deputy POC also from the 41st AS, worked with the wing protocol office, base color guard, chapel staff and other agencies to make the event a reality.

"We're going to have hot dogs, chili, non-alcoholic beverages, music and door prizes," said Lieutenant McKenna. "We'll also have games and prizes, especially for the children."

Following the success of the first Welcome Home Warriors event in November 2010, Lieutenant McKenna said he hopes this one will be just as big.

"We're going to follow a red, white and blue all-American theme," said Lieutenant McKenna. "Deployers will walk down the red carpet and we'll have people along the sides waving flags."

Welcome Home Warriors is sponsored by the 19th Operations Group and free to all Team Little Rock members, even those without a deployer in the family.

"We are a family, we all work together, we have multiple wings ... it's a gigantic base with a huge mission and this is a chance for us all to get together as one Little Rock community and welcome home our warriors," said Lieutenant McKenna.