Video by August Kryger

Things are hopping at Rosecrans Memorial Airport this week. Families said goodbyes as a group of citizen-soldiers departed Sunday and Tuesday for duty in Afghanistan.

This is another Operation Enduring Freedom rotation for the 139th Airlift Wing, and these troop movements will continue into August, said Col. Mike Pankau, acting Wing commander. Afghanistan tours usually last two to four months.

A single mom was among the group of Air National Guard personnel on hand at 5:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Britany Utt Byrd, 19, and Braydon Utt, 2, came to say goodbye to their mother, Tech. Sgt. Heidi Utt, who lives in Cameron, Mo.

“She’s my hero because she goes and does what needs to be done,” said Mrs. Byrd. But Mrs. Byrd admitted she’s already ready for her mom to come home.

This is Mrs. Utt’s sixth deployment overseas. Mrs. Utt’s mother, Meredith Alexander, and her newly married daughter will be taking care of her young son during this deployment.

Senior Airman Daniel Williams, 22, departed Tuesday for his first Afghanistan tour. From Smithville, Mo., his mother, Tracy Williams, and father, Mark Williams, came out to say goodbye and watch the plane take off.

The airman joined to pay for his own education but he’s always had a sense of duty, the airman’s father said.

“Speaking for myself, he’s doing the right thing and what more can you ask than to do the right thing?” Mr. Williams, a former Marine, said of his son.

“It hit me all of a sudden, but I think I’m all right with it,” Mrs. Williams said.

About 25 airmen and airwomen boarded the aircraft at about 6:30 a.m. Tuesday. The center of the plane had sleeping cots rigged for the flight to Southwest Asia, which will take several days.

Mr. Pankau and Col. Stephen Cotter, the former Wing commander, stood outside their offices in a gentle rain watching one of the Wing’s Lockheed Hercules transports lift off at about 7 a.m. Tuesday for the overseas trip.

Missouri’s adjutant general, Steve Danner, came and spoke to the families of departing members last week.

Starting at the beginning of May, the Wing began sending personnel to participate in this round of Operation Enduring Freedom. The 139th already deployed military personnel in May to support missions in Puerto Rico, England, Germany, Iraq, Italy and Japan.

Airport visitors Wednesday may see a German aircraft landing and taking off at Rosecrans. Germany sends transport aircraft personnel to the Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Center at Rosecrans. The German air crew and other Air Force flight crews will learn the latest tactics for unarmed transport planes to safely fly in a war zone.

Marshall White can be reached at marshall@npgco.com.