Families of the 139th Airlift Wing Receive a Happy Homecoming

A happy homecoming at St. Joseph`s 139th Airlift Wing marks the end of a three-year active duty period. Families anxiously await the return of their airguard members at Rosecrans Memorial Airport. Absent for just more than two months, flight crews find a happy homecoming. Among the ranks, father and son reunite with their girlfriends. Mike and Matt Reinert flew the same mission, "Enduring Freedom," in Afghanistan. "I flew missions and he ws a scheduler, so basically my dad put me on the missions I was going on," Matt Reinert, senior airman and load master, says. Those missions were divised to help fellow troops and the people of Afghanistan. "We pretty much worked for the Army, delivering supplies to them, and we also did a lot of humanitarian missions where we air-dropped into isolated valleys," Mike Reinert, chief flight engineer, says. Guard members say they see success a little more with each trip overseas. "I was at the Army hospital a couple of weeks ago, and I saw little Afghani children that were in the Army hospital being cared for, and it was very rewarding to know that they`re being taken care of," Mike Reinert says. During debriefing, the Reinert duo say they took care of each other overseas and time together made the months fly by. "It`s always nice having a litle piece of home with you when you`re over there," Matt Reinert says. "I could find him somewhere and we could go to the dining facility, and we could eat together," Mike Reinert says. Jokes aside, these fliers can finally take a load off. The 180th squadron of the 139th has served federally-activated duty for the past three years. "This is very significant and symbolic, because everybody`s been there. We just happen to be the last group back, even though there are still a lot of people deployed from our unit," Mike Reinert says. Mike and Matt celebrate a safe return and many months of more good news. "Matt here is going to have a new wife, and then also there`s a granddaughter on the way, all within a week of each other," MIke Reinert says. The 180th squadron`s return marks the longest activated duty in the 139th`s 60-year history. About 80 Missouri guardsmen and women remain overseas.