EAST GRANBY, Conn. — 200 service members of the Connecticut National Guard were welcomed home and honored during a ceremony at the Bradley Air National Guard Base Saturday.
They come from the 103rd Airlift Wing, 103rd Air Control Squadron, and the 1943rd Contingency Contracting Team. Many were stationed at Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina and many more were overseas in the Middle East.
Many, who have been home for weeks, if not months, now, were tasked with supporting the control of more than a million square miles of airspace.
Major Shonn Breton with the 103rd Air Control Squadron finished his eighth deployment.
“Me and my wife and my family are kind of used to it,” the operations officer said. “It’s not easy and a lot of support from the family at home and from the family that we have in uniform here getting used to what life is like back home,” said Breton.
Breton said serving is rewarding and called it a “humbling” experience. He said it’s an honor to be surrounded by all the volunteers who serve.
Volunteers like Master Sergeant Paul Kien and Captain Robby Ragos.
Ragos was stationed in Kuwait for nine months as a part of the 1943rd Contingency Contracting Team. Prior to his departure, he had a son born three months before.
“It’s difficult being away from family, but thanks to technology we have the signal app, WhatsApp, FaceTime,” Ragos said. “I stayed in touch the whole time with that so I read books, he knew my face, he recognized my voice so when I came home nine months later it wasn’t a big deal.”
The captain, living in Tolland, was on his second deployment. His first took him to Afghanistan in 2009. He said it’s a culture shock being surrounded by other countries flags.
He returned in October and his trip to Kuwait could be his last. He said there’s a family created in the military that doesn’t come from anywhere else.
“These people have volunteered to go do something that 99% of the country will never want to do,” he said.
Master Sergeant Kien was stationed in South Carolina for his second deployment. He was able to return home a few months early to be there for his daughter Eleanor’s birth. He was a part of the 103rd Air Control Squadron where he managed and facilitated the control of tactical airspace over the Middle East.
“When you join an organization like at least the Connecticut National Guard, it feels like a home,” said Kien.
Breton said the homecoming for everyone is different. For Kien, he said the pandemic has been a big difference
“Coming back was a little bit different because we left during COVID came back kind of during COVID,” he said.
Many state leaders thanked the service members during the ceremony. Senator Richard Blumenthal said he is in “awe” of their service.
“When you call out the National Guard, you call out America. When you call out the Connecticut National Guard you call out the best in America,” he said. “More guardsmen deployed in this last year than at any time in the past 10 years, that number is worth repeating because it speaks to your sacrifice," said Blumenthal.
Tony Black is a multi-media journalist at FOX61 News. He can be reached at tblack@fox61.com. Follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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