Barksdale BUFFs Return from Guam

Airmen and B-52s from the 20th Bomb Squadron at Barksdale AFB, La., returned to home station earlier this week from a six-month deployment to Andersen AFB, Guam, according to an Aug. 25 release. Now in its 11th year, the continuous bomber presence mission taps USAF bombers to rotate to Andersen to participate in a wide range of joint and allied training activities as well as conduct assurance and deterrence tasks in the Asia-Pacific region. Maj. Joe Foster, the 20th BS assistant director of operations, said Barksdale’s airmen worked closely with all the agencies compromising Andersen’s 36th Wing, as well as international militaries and other US services. The deployment was a “total joint international effort to support the [CBP] mission in the region,” Foster said. With Barksdale’s 20th BS now back home, the 23rd BS from Minot AFB, N.D., will take its place in the rotation. B-2s from Whiteman AFB, Mo., also recently deployed to Guam on a separate training rotation. (See also Bombers on Guam from the August 2015 issue of Air Force Magazine.)