VAW-125 Returns Home
Navy NewsStand
Story Number: NNS100413-11
4/13/2010
By Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Richard J. Stevens, Navy Public Affairs Support Element East
NORFOLK, Va (NNS) -- Family members welcomed Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 125 as they returned to Naval Station Norfolk after three months in Haiti, April 12.
"It feels absolutely fantastic to be home," said Cmdr. Miguel Peko, commanding officer of VAW–125. "We were gone for three months and all of our Sailors did a fantastic job down in Haiti. We helped millions of people. It was the most rewarding experience of my career."
"We got there a couple of days after the earthquake and it took a little time to get things set up, but we got things together quick, and we were able to help the people of Haiti starting day one," said Peko. "We took control right away with respect to the airlift that was down there. We moved a ton of water and food, medical supplies, doctors, nurses and corpsmen out onto the island from USNS Comfort (TAH 20). We did everything that we physically could do."
VAW-125 is set to deploy on the USS Carl Vinson.
"We'll take a couple of days off, and starting next week on Monday, we're rolling into our workups as part of the Carl Vinson Strike Group," said Peko. "This means going out to sea and deployment later this year."
"This is the first one my kids really will remember and recognize that daddy's been gone," said Keri Peko, wife of Cmdr. Peko. "The kids are old enough to understand what daddy is doing. We were able to find Haiti on the map."
"We have a fantastic group of ladies working together," she added. "For some, this is the first time being away from their husbands, so they're working really hard to get through that. We have a core group of ladies that have worked together and found lifelong friendships."
VAW-125, known as the "Torch Bearers" or "Tigertails," was commissioned on October 1, 1968, at Naval Air Station, Norfolk.
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