May 7, 2003
Warner Robins- Nine year old Erik Austell anxiously awaits his dad's return. Erik says, "I wasn't worried at all, I knew he would come home."
Just as the plane arrives, Erik covers his ears because of the booming noise, but he can't stop the rapid beating of his heart. Erik Austell says, "He's nice to me, and he's just a good father."
When Erik, his brother, Scott, his sister, Jessica and his mother, Denise see the man in their lives, it's an unforgettable moment.
Major Mark Austell says, "The hardest part is the separation. Just thinking about them has kept me going." Denise Austell says she never doubted her kids would see their father again. Denise adds, "It's all in God's hands, and I knew everything would be fine, regardless."
Erik Austell has already made plans for his future, too. He plans to follow in his father's footsteps and one day fly in the sky as a United States airman. Major Mark Austell says, "I don't have a problem with that at all I think he'd be fine."
There are still about five hundred members of the 116th Air Control Wing in Iraq. The wing is responsible for maintaining aircraft. They also use high-tech radar systems to give ground troops information about what's ahead.
Posted t 10:10PM by Jocelyn.Maner@walb.com
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