Shortly after the tragic events of 9-11, our military was called into action to help root out the Taliban and elements of Osama Bin Ladin's bottom-dwellers from Afghanistan. In March, 2003 I went on a freelance assignment to capture some short interviews and shoot footage of a Dyess homecoming event. I traveled to Westover Air Force Base in Massachusetts to meet Dyess C-130s crews as they were returning home from their mission in South East Asia (guess what hot-spot that was.)I learned to appreciate the C-130s at an early age. I saw my very first Herc when I was an 19 year-old soldier just assigned to the Airborne Communications & Electronics Board at Fort Bragg, in 1971. I thought then, as I do today, this airplane is truly, TRULY magnificent. THE BEST PART OF THIS VIDEO IS AT THE END... So while this LONG video is loading, go get a cup of coffee, walk the dog or wash the car and come back and watch THE LAST 90 SECONDS OF THE VIDEO, when the families (moms, dads, sons, daughters) are reunited. The end is the best part of the video!I decided to edit a special montage of my footage to give-away on DVDs to as many Dyess people who graciously helped me on this project. As a Vietnam vet, it was personally important to me that the Dyess folks ALWAYS remember their return home to Texas as a HAPPY, POSITIVE AND PROUD MOMENT in their military careers (not like the experience guys from Vietnam got.)I entitled my piece, "GOOD Triple A --- Afghanistan to America to Abilene." This video earned me a Telly Award and an Aurora Award in international film and video competition, as well as regional press coverage.If any Dyess member (former or present) views this, please copy this off of YouTube and remember, America (and especially Abilene) think you folks are terrific.

Channel: People & Blogs
Uploaded: November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am
Author: tuutuutango

Length: 09:23
Rating: 4.41
Views: 235754

Tags: Abilene  Afghanistan  Air  Airmen  Airplane  C-130  Cargo  Dyess  Force  Military  Texas  turboprop  

Video Comments