Airmen fly home to hugs and hurrahs

Caroline Czubaj feels whole again.

Her husband, Lt. Col. Buddy Czubaj, came home Wednesday after four months of coordinating troop and supply deliveries in Iraq, Afghanistan and the Horn of Africa.

The 14th Airlift Squadron commander and about 125 airmen based in Charleston embraced family members in a cheerful and tearful reunion of banners, balloons, flags and flowers on the flight line of Charleston Air Force Base.

"It feels fantastic," the commander said just minutes after reaching his wife and two children, Sierra, 3, and Arianna, 2. "I'm going to go home and get reacquainted with my family and then pack a few things and head out to Panama City, (Fla.,) ahead of the storm."

Tropical Storm Hanna is forecast to strengthen into a hurricane by late Friday and possibly strike somewhere along the South Carolina coast. Czubaj's wife is from Panama City.

"There is a tremendous void in every aspect when he is not here," Caroline Czubaj said.

The returning airmen delivered more than 108 million pounds of cargo and transported more than 70,000 troops.

They also flew more than 20 aeromedical evacuation missions that carried 14 critical patients, nine priority patients, 41 litters and 64 ambulatory patients to safety. In addition, the airmen transported more than 1.87 million pounds of medical supplies to treat wounded troops.

"I'm just thankful they all came home safely," said Cynthia McDonald of North Charleston as she welcomed home her daughter, Capt. Brandy Johnson, with a dozen pink roses. "I haven't seen her since January."

Read more in tomorrow's editions of The Post and Courier.