An A-10 Thunderbolt II takes off from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. Family and friends were there Saturday to say goodbye to the 12 pilots headed for Afghanistan, part of 300 airmen from the 354th Fighter Squadron and the 355th Maintenance Group being deployed.

photos by dean knuth / arizona daily star

More Photos (1):

Related articles:

300 D-M airmen leaving for Afghanistan this weekend

Other articles by Kim Smith:

Woman pleads to attempted forgery Accused's kin jubilant until 2nd verdict is read Driver in home-invasion spree, murder draws life plus 34 years Last Panda Express defendants sentenced to time served, freed 10.5 years for man who fatally shot girlfriend in head Man to get 4 years in prison for drug-related homicide Mom gets 5 years; failed to protect tot from abuse Man burned during arrest gets probation 1.5 years for thefts from her boss Ex-Nogales cop guilty of raping one teen and abusing another

Education
Yavapai College
Teachers General
Prestige Maintenance USA
Area Manager Dental
Apache Dental
Porcelain Techs Health Care
Carondelet Foothills Surgery
Pre-Op Nurse General
GROUNDS CONTROL
LANDCAPE FOREMAN & LABORERS Retail
TOTAL WINE & MORE
WINE TEAM MEMBERS, CASHIER & STOCK MEMEBERS Health Care
Freedom Manor
Caregivers

With their bright yellow and pink hair ribbons, matching dresses and shiny patent leather shoes, the little girls were more than ready Saturday for an Easter parade.

Despite the early morning hour and the slight chill in the air, Paige Hargis, 6, and her sister, Summer, 4, danced around their mother, Sarah, 28, who was waiting with the rest of the crowd for the parade to start.

This parade, however, was like no other.

For one, many of those in the crowd wore plastic orange cones in their ears to muffle the roar.

And, instead of being made up of the fashionably dressed, this parade consisted of excited pilots taxiing down a runway in A-10 attack aircraft.

On Saturday, 12 pilots with the 354th Fighter Squadron were deployed to Afghanistan, Paige and Summer's father among them.

As the pilots slowly rolled by, pumping their fists in the air and blowing kisses, their families, colleagues and friends waved goodbye, holding American flags and homemade posters.

While Davis-Monthan Air Force Base always has 300 to 500 people deployed to Southwest Asia, Col. Kent Laughbaum, the base commander, said a surge of additional troops is sent every 20 months or so, increasing that number to as many as 2,000.

The last surge began last week when support crews for the A-10s began leaving and it will continue over the next month, said Laughbaum. Not only are pilots and maintenance crews being deployed, but so are engineers, security officers and other personnel — many of whom will be helping the short-handed U.S. Army by providing security and driving trucks.

Some will be gone up to a year, Laughbaum said.

The 300 airmen from the 354th Fighter Squadron and 355th Maintenance Group leaving this week will be deployed at least six months, Laughbaum said. Their mission is to provide close air support to ground troops, although they also perform search-and-rescue missions and forward air control for other combat aircraft.

First Lt. Zach Sauceda, 29, got up early to wish his colleagues goodbye with his wife, Jamie, and three children by his side. He'll be leaving to catch up with his fellow Bulldogs on Monday.

"I'm actually pretty anxious to get over there and contribute," Sauceda said. "The separation is not going to be fun, but it's for the cause. I want to go over there and help the guys on the ground."

Although it will be his first overseas deployment, Sauceda said he is comfortable leaving Jamie and his children, Riley, 8, Alexandra, 4, and Jacob, 1, because they've got such a wonderful support system at the base.

There's also a chance he'll be gone longer than six months, but he's ready for that, Sauceda said. "As long as it takes," he said. "If they have to have us over there longer, there's a reason."

Since they knew he was going to be deployed, Jamie Sauceda said the family spent time together last week in San Diego. They took the children to Sea World.

"I've got mixed feelings, I guess," Jamie Sauceda said about the deployment. "I'm excited for him to be going on his first deployment and for him to put what he's learned into action, but I'm sad to see him go. We'll miss him."

Heather Scroggins, 36, came to say goodbye to her husband, Capt. David Scroggins, 34, along with their children, Aspen, 11, and Bradley, 16 months.

Up until now, his longest deployment has been about six weeks, Heather Scroggins said.

Sometimes, Aspen said, she cries when she thinks about her daddy being gone so long.

But, she said, she knows "he's going to help the people on the ground get rid of the bad guys."

The fifth-grader said she's proud of her dad, who had a long talk with her before he left.

"He told me to really help my mom and that I have to grow up three years in one day," Aspen said.