Tulsa's 138th Fighter Wing deployed

More than 200 Air National Guardsmen are en route to provide air support for ground troops in Iraq. <br/><br/>Members of the 138th Fighter Wing in Tulsa were deployed Thursday morning. News on 6 reporter

Thursday, May 19th 2005, 9:20 am

By: News On 6

More than 200 Air National Guardsmen are en route to provide air support for ground troops in Iraq.

Members of the 138th Fighter Wing in Tulsa were deployed Thursday morning. News on 6 reporter Heather Lewin was there as families said goodbye from the Home front.

138th Tech Sgt Brett: "Everybody here is anxious to go on the mission. I mean we've been given a mission now let's go out and do it. This is what I've trained for, this is what we train for and it's not an easy thing to do to leave your family."

With a mixture of pride and sadness they lined up to say goodbye. Military wife Kelli: "It's kinda crazy, I'm a little nervous, but we'll be alright."

After a near 20 hour transport flight, the F-16 fighter unit will spend the next 45 days based in southwest Asia, flying missions to support ground troops in Iraq.

But what's just as important to these men and women is knowing their families are being well-supported on the Home front. Brett: â€œif something's distracting you because you know something's going on at home because it wasn't taken care of, then you're putting yourself in danger and the lives of your buddies in danger."

This day is especially tough on the families. It's this unit's first overseas deployment in three years. Kelli: "That helps tremendously. If I didn't live around my family, I don't know what I'd do. He's a very strong person. I'll just think about him and how much we love each other and that'll get me through it I guess."