Fairchild crews now in Libya executing a no-fly zone

MOSES LAKE - Some Fairchild Air Force Base crews, temporarily stationed in Moses Lake, are now in Libya, helping to execute a no-fly zone.

A total of about 100 Fairchild airmen were sent to assist.

The figure includes air crews, maintainers and support personnel, with members of the 141st Air Refueling Wing/Washington Air National Guard and the active duty wing at Fairchild, the 92nd Air Refueling Wing.

Five tankers departed from Moses Lake Saturday for Libya, said Sgt. Jennifer Buzanowski, a Fairchild public affairs spokesperson, on Thursday.

"We had a sixth tanker that was doing operations in another part of the county get diverted (to Libya) and then we sent a seventh on Wednesday," she said.

The seventh tanker left from Spokane International Airport.

"At this point, we don't know when to expect them home," she commented.

Buzanowski explained how Fairchild is a busy base regardless of the current activity, as it is the lead wing in Kyrgyzstan for Operation Enduring Freedom.

Kyrgyzstan is located in central Asia.

"It's more than just a refueling mission at Manash (in Kyrgyzstan)," she said. "That's where all the troops go in and out of Afghanistan."

She describes the area as "the hub," with personnel maintaining dining facilities, tents and gyms.

"It's a very busy wing," Buzanowski said. "It's a huge testimony to the people here at Fairchild. With all the taskings we get, we don't get to increase the number of people assigned here, yet we continue to do all these things asked of us."

"We're in a high-operations tempo," she said.

She learned Thursday about the recent sacrifices of a Fairchild maintainer.

He was just married and left Saturday for Libya to support the no-fly zone.