An estimated 50-100 people were gathered on the commercial aviation apron at the Minot International Airport, turning their eyes to the sky intermittently, looking to catch a glimpse of a plane carrying members of the recently completed Indo-Pacific Bomber Task Force.

Monday’s Welcome Home celebration was certainly not unique, as there have been several Bomber Task Forces over the past two years, but I am hoping it made an impact on both the returning military personnel and the various civic leaders gathered on a warm, sunny morning.

For those military personnel who arrived on a Boeing 767 after a long, 15 hour trip from Guam to Minot, I hope that when they looked out their windows they were impressed with not only the leadership of Minot Air Force base, including 5th Bomb Wing Commander Col Daniel Hoadley, but Minot Mayor Tom Ross, and several members of Task Force 21, waiting to greet them after their one month deployment.

For those of us on the ground waiting for the arrival of the contingent of support personnel, we were able to show our support with a round of applause for those who were first off of the plane, and then follow with a fist bump and smile to each and every team member. After they departed the plane, they loaded busses and headed for Minot AFB and more welcome home greetings from friends, co-workers and of course family members.

I began to think about the importance of welcoming home task force members; I mean giving them the welcome home they deserve. Being deployed is “part of the job” for many of those who serve in our military. Lt. Col Loucks of the 23rd Bomber Barons, and I had a short conversation about deployments. The BTF deployments are normally about a month, but the length of the deployment is not guaranteed. Families at home expect about a month, and probably prepare for a month of being separated from their family member, but I am sure in the back of their mind they think “what if?”

As a member of the Minot media community, the Northern Sentry does our very best to cover the Bomber Task Force missions, distributing details of the missions given to us by Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs personnel. Both the deployment and return of the personnel is fairly fluid. You can imagine how departure and flying times can change due to weather and equipment malfunctions. Still, it would be nice if the Welcome Home celebration on Monday was repeated for every significant deployment from Minot Air Force Base. There can be nothing better than feeling welcomed and appreciated.

Of course, the very mission sensitive military information of many deployments is probably not going to allow my dream of grandiose Welcome Home celebrations for everyone to come true. But when we do have the advanced notice and are able to provide a Welcome Home celebration that could include people from the Minot Community, wouldn’t it be great, and more important, wouldn’t it be well deserved?

Best Kept Secrets
If you are a “motor-head”, mark your calendars for Labor Day weekend, and Motor Magic on the ND State Fairgrounds in Minot. The weekend is loaded with racing events and car displays. For more information check out motormagic.net.

Today’s Chuckle
Some people need to turn over a new leaf, and others had better get out the rake and bushel basket.