Coming home to hugs

Air crews back in Charleston after flying missions in Middle East

Melissa Haneline
The Post and Courier

Jana Orengia hugs fiance Bill Elliott after the 14th Airlift Squadron arrived Wednesday at Charleston Air Force Base.

Melissa Haneline
The Post and Courier

Coleton Sereika, 4, waits with his aunt Amy McMurray in the passenger terminal of Charleston Air Force Base on Wednesday, anticipating the arrival of the plane carrying father, 1st Lt. Adam Sereika. Little sister Emerald Sereika, 1, (right) waits as well.

Caroline Czubaj feels whole again.

Her husband, Lt. Col. Buddy Czubaj, returned 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 at 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 Carolina coast. Caroline Czubaj is from Panama City.

Buddy Czubaj noted that he was glad he had his sunglasses on when he saw the crowd cheering as the Boeing 767 carrying the air crews taxied by.

"It put a big lump in my throat," he said.

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

Ron and Nancy Fenner know that feeling, too.

They drove all the way from Dayton, Ohio, to welcome home their daughter, Tech. Sgt. Erin Manley.

"We came down just for this," Ron Fenner said.

Her mother, carrying a bouquet of yellow roses and a string of red, white and blue balloons, said she communicated with her daughter over the past several months via telephone, e-mail and phone texting.

"Every time I get a text back, it gives you a better feeling," Nancy Fenner said.

Sabrina Seix, 24, of Goose Creek, couldn't wait to see her boyfriend, Senior Airman Matt Blake, 21, of Indiana.

"I'm so excited," she said, as she waited with Blake's mother, Sheila Blake, of Rolling Prairie, Ind., and his sister, Amber Blake, 17. "It's been a long time. He's going to be all mine for 16 months."

Blake's mother and sister drove down from Indiana just for the homecoming. Sheila Blake wiped away tears after hugging him. "I'm so excited."

Matt Blake sported a huge smile and held his girlfriend's hand after seeing her jump up and down as he walked off the plane.

"That's good," he said. "I was hoping she would be (excited). It's nice to be back."

Capt. Jeff Knowles of Daniel Island was ecstatic to be home as well.

"It's been a long summer and to see my daughter who looks completely different from when I left," he said, trailing off as his nearly 1-year-old daughter, Kelsey, reached for him.

Knowles hasn't seen his wife, Erin, and their child in nearly five months.

They plan to take two weeks off and head to Atlanta to avoid Hanna.

The returning airmen worked several missions in the Middle East during which they 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.

Cynthia McDonald had not seen her daughter, Capt. Brandy Johnson, since January.

"I'm so glad she is home," said McDonald, with a dozen pink roses on her arm. "I'm just thankful they all came home safely."

Reach Warren Wise at 745-5850 or wwise@postand courier.com.