Family and friends of 200 Airmen assigned to the 148th Fighter Wing, Minnesota Air National Guard eagerly awaited the return of their Airman from a three-month deployment to the 18th Wing, Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan, early on Oct. 14, 2024. In total, 300 personnel and F-16 Fighting Falcons assigned to the 148th Fighter Wing deployed for three months in support of U.S. Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) efforts to provide agile air, space, and cyberspace capabilities to safeguard a free and open Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Master Sgt. Megan Shaner)