VALDOSTA – “I can count on one hand the amount of times I’ve held a baby, so it’s going to take a lot of practice, but it feels great,” said Captain Brett Gudim as he held his son Luke for the first time.

Gudim is part of the 74th Fighter Squadron that returned to Moody Air Force Base Friday morning. The squadron had over 200 return home after being deployed for seven months. Gudim and his wife Katy not only endured their first deployment together, but Katy also gave birth while her husband was overseas.

“It’s tough to make a strong connection over FaceTime,” Gudim said. “It’s rough but we have those discussions as husband and wife. It’s our job and we love our job. It makes it all worth it to come home and see all the love.”

Lauren Sprunk may work in Public Affairs at Moody Air Force Base, yet it didn’t make her husband James’ first deployment any easier. She stood in the crowd Friday morning, holding son Jayce, waiting to hug James for the first time in seven months.

“It was rough,” Sprunk said. “Knowing what they’ve achieved over there makes it worth it. It’s a sacrifice we all make.”

During the seven-month deployment, the 74th Fighter Squadron flew more than 1,700 sorties, employed weapons over 4,400 times, destroyed 2,300 targets and killed 2,800 ISIS insurgents.