Selena Callaway has endured so many deployments she’s stopped counting.
This week marked the end of one more with the return of the Cougars of Electronic Attack Squadron 139 to Whidbey Island Naval Air Station.
Wednesday morning family and Navy personnel milled around the hangar, all eyes scanning the skyline for the coming EA-18G Growlers. A gigantic American flag hung in the background. The pilots’ wives were dressed to the nines.
Callaway’s husband, Cmdr. Lewis Callaway, is a pilot and the squadron’s commanding officer. Their daughters, Addison, 6, and Elizabeth, 4, were dressed in matching red, white, and blue outfits and held handmade signs for daddy.
“It’s been almost a year without him,” Callaway said. “I can’t wait to get my arms around him and hold him.”
The Cougars completed a 10-month deployment aboard the USS Carl Vinson.
During the deployment, the Cougars supported Carrier Air Wing 17 strike operations in Iraq and Syria. The squadron flew 12,300 sorties, including 2,382 combat missions and dropped more than half a million pounds of ordnance against ISIS during the deployment.
They also participated in exercise Valiant Shield, a nine-day joint air, land and sea cooperation training between the U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Army to develop tactics techniques and procedures in a joint environment in waters near Guam.
This was the fourth deployment for Kristin Cooper’s husband, Lt. Cmdr. Ben “Maggie” Cooper. She cared for 5-year-old triplets while he was away.
“I don’t think it gets any easier, but you handle it better,” she said.
Finally, the jets screamed into view and landed. One sailor had the task of keeping everyone back from the tarmac while the jets powered down and the cockpits opened.
Once the pilots climbed out, there was no holding the spouses and children back.
Selena Callaway ran forward and had the long embrace she’d been waiting for.
Lt. Cmdr. Larry “Job” Mahan embraced his wife, Vanessa, and then sat down on the tarmac and gathered his young son, Zeke, in his arms.
“It’s just good to be back on Whidbey Island,” he said.
“It’s good to be home.”
