Sgt. Christian L. Jones, the career planner for Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 3, says a final farewell to his wife and sons before loading up on the bus outside his unit's hangar aboard Cherry Point, Sept. 25. Jones and more than 100 Marines left on a seven-month deployment to Central Command to replace their sister unit VMAQ-2, in support of operations in Afghanistan.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Cory D. Polom

VMAQ-3 ‘Moondogs’ bid farewell to families

27 Sep 2012 | Lance Cpl. Cory D. Polom Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. --

More than 100 Marines with Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 3 departed for a seven-month deployment to Central Command to relieve VMAQ-2, in support of operations in Afghanistan, Sept. 25.

“This deployment is going to be tough, because my sons are old enough to realize what is going on,” said Mary Jones, wife of Sgt. Christian L. Jones, the career planner for VMAQ-3. “During our previous two deployments the boys were too little to notice, and this time I am going to have them asking me all the time, ‘where is daddy?’”

The Marines will maintain and fly the squadron’s EA-6B Prowlers to provide joint operation support with electronic warfare.