Video: Columbus Airman Returns Home

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By Alyssa Martin

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – It was an emotional and exciting day for Captain Justin Herris and his wife, Brittany, as he returned home from 6 months in Afghanistan.

Capt Herris spent his time in Kandahar working in the MC-12 community as the chief of scheduling.

On Sunday, friends gathered at the couple’s Columbus home to celebrate his safe return home.

Herris says one of the toughest parts of his deployment was leaving his newlywed wife.

“The separation from my wife was definitely something that was big,” Justin said. “We haven’t been married for that long, so leaving her here was a big deal for both of us. Especially for six months.”

“We’re a really good team together, so we pretty much do everything together and the hardest thing was trying to figure out what I’m going to do by myself,” Brittany said.

Captain Herris and his wife have experienced a tremendous amount of support through the local community while he was deployed and also from their new neighbors.

“While I was gone they found out about her being here and I think every neighbor has come over and said hi or something. They’ve been really great here. If they were down the street or something, they would run up to me and just be like ‘Hey, if you need anything let us know!'”

Although the future location for the Herris family is unknown, they are enjoying all the local community events Columbus has to offer.

“We’re coming up on our end of the time here in Columbus as this assignment is coming to an end. And we’re not real sure when we’re going to be going to the next place, so we’re making the best out of all Columbus has to offer.

Captain Herris plans to continue his career in the Air Force. He and his wife know they have many friends in the Golden Triangle.