Codey McDonald deployed to Africa the day after his daughter’s first birthday in May.

When he returned on Sept. 6, she was 15 months old.

“There’s not really a better feeling,” he said of being home, tearing up holding his daughter. “She couldn’t walk or talk when I left.”

It was a “great deployment, a great team and we’re all happy to be home,” he said.

120th Airlift Wing airmen deploy to Africa over Memorial Day weekend

The C-130H loadmaster was one of about 150 airmen of the 120th Airlift Wing who left Great Falls over Memorial Day weekend to support U.S. allies in crisis response and intertheater logistics in the U.S. Africa Command area of responsibility.

AFRICOM is responsible for all U.S. military operations, exercises, and security cooperation on the African continent, its island nations and surrounding waters, except Egypt, according to the U.S. Department of Defense.

It was the last deployment for the unit with the C-130H model aircraft as it begins it’s conversion to the new C-130J model in October.

120th preparing for deployment, aircraft conversion

Lacey McDonald, Codey’s wife, said it was their second deployment, but a bit different this time with a young child.

His first deployment was to Kuwait and this time, they were able to video chat everyday.

She said for the first deployment, she was living in Bozeman, but has since moved to Great Falls, where they have family, which is helpful with a toddler who just started walking.

Codey McDonald has been in the Air National Guard for 16 years and was a crew chief before commissioning through the Officer Training School and then trained as a navigator.

819th RED HORSE back from Guam deployment [2024]

“We’re super super excited for daddy to come home,” Lacey McDonald said.

Josh Pijanowski, a loadmaster, has been in the Guard for five years and returned from his first deployment.

His wife, Alison, said that he was getting back in time to tap out his younger brother at basic training at Fort Benning next week.

Some RED HORSE members return from deployment [2020]

The tap out is a military basic training graduation tradition when recruits remain still until a loved one taps them, symbolizing the end of training and transition into military service.

Cheri Pijanowski, Josh’s mother, said “it’s been rough,” with him deployed and her youngest son at boot camp.

Their younger sister Chloe, said she was used to her brothers not being around all the time since they were older, but deployment was different.

“It was rough,” she said. “I don’t like this,” and she was excited to have her brother back home.

120th Airlift Wing airmen return from 4-month deployment [2019]

Alison said they were usually able to text, but had some complications with excessive charges they were able to work out with their phone company after hours with customer service.

They were able to call over the internet, which was usually pretty reliable, she said.

After a few months in the desert, he wanted to get back into the forest, Alison said, so they’re planning a white water rafting trip and she brought a sweatshirt for him on Saturday in case 80 degrees felt cold after a summer in Africa.

She said Josh’s commander and his wife had called her, and since she’s lives in Bozeman, away from many in the unit, “that was really nice.”

Tina Bennett was waiting with her family for her son, Tristan, to return from his first deployment.

The 20-year-old maintainer had deployed in May shortly after returning from basic training she said.

Montana Guard soldiers return after 9-month Afghanistan deployment [2019]

“It’s been a rollercoaster,” the Great Falls resident said, but she was “very proud.”

Bennett said that he wanted to come home and take a nap and “he’s probably gonna want Fuddruckers.”

Sierra Dascoulias, married to Peter Dascoulias III, a loadmaster, said “I could not sleep, I was so excited,” for the airmen coming home on Sept. 6. It was like Christmas, “but better.”

Abigail Houston, girlfriend to Maximus Dascoulias, a maintainer, said it was “the most excited I’ve ever been about anything.

They’ve been long distance before, though not for a deployment, but it “makes us stronger,” she said.

It was the first deployment for both Dascoulias brothers.

Sierra said they marked their first wedding anniversary and her 21st birthday while her husband was deployed.