133rd Members return from Southwest Asia Published Sept. 17, 2010 By MSgt David J Fenner 133rd AW/ PA 9/15/2010 -- 9/15/2010 - St. Paul--Twenty-eight Airmen from the Minnesota Air National Guard's 133rd Airlift Wing returned to Minnesota from a deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. The returning Airmen deployed in early July aboard one of the Wing's eight C-130 "Hercules" aircraft. The Wing's remaining deployed Airmen will be returning soon. During their stay the deployed aircraft flew over 450 sorties, hauling over 5,700 passengers and delivering nearly 1400 tons of critical cargo. Overall mission effectiveness was 95.8%, meeting/ exceeding the % for all of in-theater operations Wing members also participated in short-notice humanitarian missions to Tajikistan and Pakistan, providing timely support to both flood-ravaged nations. As of the end of August, the U.S. military has hauled more than 2.2 million pounds of humanitarian assistance into Pakistan alone. Throughout 2010, more than 425 Airmen have been deployed from the 133rd Airlift Wing to 11 countries across the world, including aircrew members, maintenance personnel, security forces, chaplain staff and others. In 2009, 133rd Airlift Wing deployed more than 700 Airmen to 16 countries in support of U.S. operations worldwide. Since September 11, 2001, the Wing has deployed 4,600 Airmen to locations around the world in support of the Global War on Terror. The C-130 "Hercules" supports many military and humanitarian missions, including airdrop and airland delivery of critical supplies, equipment and personnel to remote airfields and to areas not easily reached by ground travel. C-130s also provide aeromedical evacuation of wounded service members, where trained medical personnel provide timely, life-saving medical care while patients are transported to a medical facility. The Twin Cities-based 133rd Airlift Wing is comprised of approximately 1,250 men and women who serve in support of state and national needs.