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Press release
In time for Christmas, members of the Hawaii Air National
Guard return from participating in Operation Southern Watch,
flying over Iraq to make sure there was no military aircraft or
troop movement in the southern no-fly zone.

Air Guard troops
return from Gulf

About 250 isle members
were on patrol in Iraq's
southern no-fly zone

---

By Treena Shapiro
Star-Bulletin

Air Force 2nd Lt. Donna Mae Chun wore a different sort of dress uniform last night at Hickam Air Force Base to welcome her husband back from the Persian Gulf in time for Christmas.

Wearing a festive costume, she masqueraded as Santa's helper. Chun's father and golden retriever Maile got into the act, as well, dressing as Santa and a reindeer respectively.

Her husband, James, a Hawaii Air National Guard member, left Thanksgiving night to fly missions in Iraq's southern no-fly zone. He was one of about 250 Guard members who are returning this week.

This was his first time in a combat zone, and the deployment came only a month after the attack on the U.S.S. Cole in the Persian Gulf port in Yemen.

But Chun said she was not too worried while he was away. "I feel they know what they're up against and they're prepared," she said. "I feel God is watching over them."

James, an aircraft weapons specialist, returned in high spirits and said he had never felt his life was in danger. "Security forces over there are wonderful. They're really great just protecting our assets."

Squad commander Col. James Drake said there was a "measured amount of danger" where the unit was stationed, about an hour's flight from the border and "as close to Iraq as you can get." The squad participated in the 8-year-old Operation Southern Watch, flying over Iraq to make sure there is no military aircraft or troop movement in the area.

Iraqi forces shoot anti-aircraft guns pretty regularly, he said.

Albert Bruhn and 11-year-old son Kainoa also met the flight last night. Kainoa said he was worried when his mother Roxanne was gone, and now that she is home, he plans to spend quality time with her and fix her breakfast in bed.

After 14 years of marriage, Albert, who works for a distributor in the plumbing industry, said he has gotten used to his wife's deployments, but it is hard to have no control over her situation. "You can't help them if they need help," he said. "All you can do is hope and pray."

Most returned feeling positively about the mission and said they would be willing to do it again. Senior Airman Sonja Johnson, 35, said she would like to go back, and this was the second time she has been to the Persian Gulf since September.

"It was tough and strenuous and we worked long hours, but we tried to make laughs, tried joking about things to break the monotony," she said.

Troop commander Brian Leong said that this was a good chance for the unit to put all their training to use.

"It gives them a taste of what it takes and what they need to do."