319th SFS Defenders return from last Air Expeditionary Force deployment Published Oct. 26, 2023 By Airman 1st Class Raisa Christie 319th Reconnaissance Wing Public Affairs GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- Airmen assigned to the 319th Security Forces Squadron returned home after a six-month deployment, Oct. 20, 2023. The airmen deployed to Camp Lemonnier, a U.S. Naval Expeditionary Base in Djibouti, Africa, to assist with sight security during evacuations of locals and U.S. Embassy personnel. This deployment marks the final deployment for the 319th Reconnaissance Wing under the Air Expeditionary Force construct as the wing shifts to the Air Force Force Generation Model. The AEF model was designed to provide combatant commanders with rapid, responsive and reliable airpower options that meet specific theater needs but relied on individualized taskings from separated bases. Under the AEF construct, most Airmen first met their deployed wingmen in-theater. AFFORGEN transforms the tasking process to a 24-month cycle consisting of four phases: Available to commit, reset, prepare and ready. Airmen train together, are tasked and deploy together and return to home station together under AFFORGEN. The new model allows for more sustainable expeditionary force offerings and units the ability to become a cohesive team before arriving in-theater. The 319th RW deployed their first force offering under AFFORGEN in the 24.1 cycle earlier this month.