A group of Westover airmen have returned home after a deployment overseas. One of the Airmen happens to be a detective with the Springfield Police Department.

After a nearly one year deployment and 6 months of training prior to being shipped off to Afghanistan, 20 members of the 439th Civil Engineering Squadron at Westover Air Reserve Base are home.

Master Sgt. Moises Zanazanian said, "it was a long flight home. It's wonderful to be back."

Senior Airman Sevard said, "it feels good to be back home with my family. It was very different."

The Squadron was embedded with the U.S. Army at Bagram Air Force Base in Afghanistan, a key installation with more than 22,000 people. The group spent their time training Afghan Nationals in civil engineering trades like carpentry, plumbing and electrical work. They also showed them how to work with heavy equipment and install heating and air conditioning.

"We worked with the local nationals doing our civil engineering jobs so it was fun to teach them about our career field," Sevard said.

Master Sgt. Zanazanian says, "It was great, it was definitely, definitely great having the local nationals come in and do part of what we do."

This was Master Sgt. Moises Zanazanian second deployment. He says it certainly put his public service skills to use.
Zanazanian has been in the Air Reserve for 13 years. He's also a detective with the Springfield Police Department.

"I've got a lot of catching up to do. Especially in Springfield. A lot of things have happened and probably most likely changed a little bit," Zanazanian said.

What Zanazanian is looking forward to most, like the other members of the 430th, is spending time with his family.

"It's tough. It's a learning experience for my wife and myself. My wife has to cope with our two children. I have a 7 and an 8 year old and it's very tough," Zanazanian said.