AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy --   Airmen from the 31st Fighter Wing returned to Aviano Air Base, Italy, from Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Feb. 9, 2017, after a seven month deployment. In July 2016, the U.S. Air Force forward deployed the 31st FW F-16s, 100th Air Refueling Wing KC-135 Stratotankers from Royal Air Force Mildenhall, United Kingdom, Airmen and equipment to Camp Lemonnier. The U.S. Department of State, in coordination with the U.S. Ambassador in Juba, requested Department of Defense assistance as a precautionary measure to protect Americans and American interests based on violent unrest and the possibility of threats in South Sudan.