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Last Liberandos Leave the Transit Center at Manas

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Max Despain
  • 376th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
TRANSIT CENTER AT MANAS, Kyrgyzstan --  The last of the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing "Liberandos" gathered at the A'la Too dining facility in the early morning hours to prepare for their departure from the Transit Center at Manas June 6, 2014.

The scene was typical of a military movement. One table had an intense card game of Spades; another had a woman playing her guitar for her friends, while others were taking "selfies" with their deployed friends to remember their time together. Airmen were sprawled across the floor, using suitcases as pillows, to catch a few extra minutes of sleep after their 2:30 a.m. room inspections.

When the time came to form up, each Airman walked single file through the door, checking off for accountability and joining a five-file formation of their peers. With the drawdown of equipment and contracts, the nearly 200 people would be making their way from the main portion of the Transit Center to the flight line on foot.

Col. John Millard, 376th AEW commander, said a few words before they stepped off.

"You should be proud of everything you have accomplished here and will no doubt have stories to tell back home. You have worked so hard over the past several months to make today possible, thank you. Now, you are truly the 'Last of the Liberandos.'"

Led by the 376th AEW Command Chief, Chief Master Sgt. Gregory Warren, the formation stepped off into the sunrise and marched their way into new beginnings.

Nearly all of the 5.3 million transients who moved in and out of the Transit Center over the past 12-and-a-half years traveled this same roadway between the main facility and the flight line, but always by bus. The sight of so many Airmen marching down the tree-lined street drove home the reality that they were leaving the American military center for good.

The first 143 service members boarded a waiting C-17 Globemaster III after walking past a line of commanders at the aircraft stairs who shook their hands and thanked them for their service. Soon the flight taxied out and took off into the morning sky leaving the Kyrgyz A'la Too mountains and the remaining 41 Liberandos behind.

Out came footballs and e-readers while the last Liberandos passed time before the arrival of the final C-17. The Deputy Chief of Mission for the U.S. Embassy, Bishkek, Laura Greismer, and the Defense Attaché, Lt. Col. Suzanne Henderson, chatted with the waiting passengers. After loading two forklifts and a few pallets of passenger luggage, the 376th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron members joined the rest of the team for a final group photo in front of the aircraft. The embassy visitors and the remaining leaders lined up to welcome the very last of the Liberandos onto their flight out of Kyrgyzstan.

Millard paused in the door way to look out over the snow-capped mountains and Kyrgyz blue sky one last time. He joined his Airmen in the seats lining the walls of the C-17 and the Last of the Liberandos went "wheels up," departing the Kyrgyz Republic. The wing left behind a legacy as the premier transportation and logistics hub supporting combat operations in Afghanistan, as well as countless friends and partners among the Kyrgyz people.