Deployment blends aerial porters from 85th, 42nd Published Dec. 23, 2009 By Tech. Sgt. Andrew Biscoe 439th AW Public Affairs SOUTHWEST ASIA -- -- His wingmen called Senior Airman Anthony Boido the "rookie" as the group of Airmen packed up for a deployment to Southwest Asia in late November. The deployment was also the first of a blended group of 42nd reservists and three noncommissioned officers from the former 85th APS, which deactivated in September at Hanscom AFB, Mass. Many of its reservists joined the 42nd or 58th APS. "I have definitely been ready to go. I'll be missing the sports games and hanging out on the weekends," said Airman Boido, who volunteered for the deployment. In civilian life, the 42nd Aerial Port Squadron reservist is a full-time truck driver. Airman Boido's fellow deployers form a cadre of experienced senior noncommissioned officers who know all of the particulars with the responsibilities of deploying thousands of miles from home. Staff Sgt. Jeffrey Szymanski is deployed to the same base assignment that he had in Southwest Asia in 2006. "We are very busy, and it is very crowded," he said . "We lived in B-huts (in 2006). We each had our own small individual space with our bed and a wall locker, eight people per B-hut. Now, we are packing 16 people per hut with bunk beds, same small spaces, and we have to share one wall locker with a roommate .... with the focus shifting over to Afghanistan we are definitely one of the busiest aerial ports in the world." "This is another example of how the 85th and 42nd have integrated," said Lt. Col. Edward Miller, 42nd APS commander, who was on hand to see the Airmen head out in late November. The aerial porters are on a six-monthdeployment.