An aircraft hangar at Hill Air Force Base is being converted into a "Welcome Home Center," base officials say.
The hangar will be the official destination of Hill's men and women returning from deployment overseas for Operation Desert Storm. "This is the location (where) the families will be reunited with their returning service members," said a Hill spokesman.In late August, Hill sent two squadrons of F-16 Fighting Falcons to the Persian Gulf region, the 4th and 421st Tactical Fighter Squadrons. In addition, support troops numbering in the hundreds went to a base in the Middle East, in a country not publicly identified by the Air Force.
The F-16s flew many combat missions during the war, with the 4th and 421st alternating duties for day and night flights.
Officers and enlisted men and women from Hill as well as families have been greeting returnees with roses, banners and hugs.