C-130 Dyess Air Force Base Abilene Texas

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzfTM_hQY6c
PLEASE READ THE DISCLAIMER AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS TEXT.

The best part of the video is at the end when the families (moms, dads, sons, daughters) are reunited. Please be patient...

Shortly after the tragic events of 9-11, our military was called into action to help root out the Taliban and elements of Osama Bin Ladin's thugs from Afghanistan.

The men and women of Dyess Air Force Base (heros in my book) in Texas played an important role in this mission with their C-130s. I went on a freelance assignment for the local CBS station to capture some short interviews and shoot footage of this event, and in March of 2003, I traveled to Westover, Air Force Base in Massachusetts. I met the Dyess C-130s as they were returning home from Afghanistan.

As a Vietnam Veteran (US Army) I spent a year in a nasty jungle (no e-mail, no air conditioning, showers MAYBE once a week, very few hot meals) and from my own experience, I knew the Dyess team would be excited on their return trip to the USA.

My experience in returning home from Vietnam was not unlike that of many service members who came back during "Nam". No fanfare, no formal greetings, no flags waving... In fact, I tried to hitch-hike home in my Class A uniform from the airport in El Paso to surprise my unsuspecting parents who had no idea I was on my way back to the US. From the airport in El Paso, I walked 5 miles in my Class A Army uniform lugging a very heavy duffel bag "thumbing" on a busy road for more than an hour. Nobody would offer a guy in uniform a ride! Finally a lady whose husband was a Full Bird Colonel at Fort Bliss gave me a ride all the way home, but no civilian would stop. (One car tossed a soft drink at me and yelled obscenities...)

When the C-130s arrived at Dyess, I was blown away at all the civilians from nearby Abilene, Texas who came out to greet them. My heart soared like a Hawk (to borrow a phrase from the movie "Little Big Man.") I was so delighted to see that this group of servicemen and women were greeted so warmly, I decided to edit a montage of the footage I shot for the TV station to give to as many Dyess people as I could. I wanted the Dyess folks to ALWAYS remember their return home as a happy and memorable experience (not like the one the guys from Vietnam got.)

I entitled my piece, "Good Triple A, Afghanistan to America to Abilene." This video earned me a Telly Award and an Aurora Award in international film and video competition, as well as regional press coverage.

If any Dyess member (former or present) is watching, I encourage you to copy this off of YouTube and remember, America (and especially Abilene) thinks you folks are terrific.

I HAVE EDITED OUT THE INTERVIEWS I CONDUCTED FOR THE TV STATION TO CONCEAL THE NAME TAGS AND IDENTITIES OF THE DYESS PERSONNEL WHO SO GRACIOUSLY HELPED ME IN THIS PROJECT. I'VE ALSO TWEAKED THIS VIDEO TO NOT SHOW CLOSE UPS OF NAME TAGS. ADDITIONALLY, THE RANKS OF THOSE (hopefully) WHO HAVE APPEARED IN MY VIDEO HAVE CHANGED AND AFTER 4 YEARS, THE APPEARANCES OF CHILDREN IN THIS VIDEO HAVE ALSO CHANGED. IF YOU HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT SOMEONE IN THIS VIDEO BEING IDENTIFIED, PLEASE CONTACT ME THROUGH YouTube AND I WILL CONSIDER REMOVING THIS VIDEO.