822nd BDS bids farewell to family, friends

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Nicholas Benroth
  • 23rd Wing Public Affairs
MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. --  Family, friends and fellow squad members bid farewell as individuals from the 822nd Base Defense Squadron recently geared up for their deployment to Iraq.

The members from the squadron will be training at Fort Dix, N.J., and will then travel to Iraq to provide integrated defense at their deployed location.

"We will be performing a force protection mission," said Lt. Col. Joseph D'Amico, 822nd BDS commander. "Each member is fully trained and proficient on these types of missions and ready to provide unmatched integrated defense for the combatant commander."

A group of individuals were hand-selected for this deployment, which will last approximately six months, but could vary based on mission requirements.

One of these individuals is Airman 1st Class Edward Huffman, 822nd BDS fire team member.

"This is my first time deploying and it makes me really nervous to think about it, but I am excited as well," he said. "It will be good to get this experience under my belt because we train for this all the time and it will really help out for later deployments."

This deployment is nothing new to the members of the 822nd BDS as they have performed these types of missions before and their training covers all aspect of what they could be tasked with.

The squadron trains when they are not deployed to stay proficient in their tactics, techniques and procedures.

"The missions we prepare for can range from humanitarian missions to combat operations," said Colonel D'Amico. "We are always prepared for the mission no matter what the call is."

The mission of the 822nd BDS is to provide fully-integrated, highly capable and responsive forces to protect expeditionary air forces.