The Truth About PAX Terminal Homecomings | Why They’re the Most Underrated Marine Reunions
Marine Homecoming at Miramar PAX Terminal | How to Make It Special
When GySgt Justin Isabella returned home from deployment with VMM-161, the “Greyhawks”, his reunion didn’t take place on a crowded flightline but inside the quiet halls of the Miramar PAX Terminal. This post shares their story; a glimpse into what makes early, low-key homecomings so meaningful. From the mission VMM-161 carried out in East Africa to how families can still make a PAX Terminal homecoming feel special, this session is a reminder that every return, no matter how small, carries a world of emotion and pride.
Why PAX Terminal Homecomings Are Underrated | Welcoming the Isabella Family Home at MCAS Miramar
When Ashley first told me that her husband, GySgt Justin Isabella, was coming home early through the PAX Terminal at MCAS Miramar, I couldn’t wait to document it. I’ve photographed this family before, years ago when their son Sterling was a newborn, and it felt incredibly special to see them together again for such a meaningful reunion.
The Isabellas are a dual-military family. Ashley serves on helicopters while Justin flies on Ospreys. Between deployments, training, and back-to-back separations, they have carried the kind of strength only military families truly understand. This homecoming wasn’t just another return; it was the moment their family finally exhaled.
Waving American Flag out of Pilot window
Deployment Context - Djibouti VMM-161
In May 2025, Combined Joint Task Force–Horn of Africa shared an update on VMM-161’s mission in the region. The post highlighted how the Greyhawks and their MV-22 Ospreys “bring unmatched speed and agility to the Horn of Africa, enabling crisis response in support of CJTF-HOA.”
Since 1951, VMM-161 has stood ready to support expeditionary, joint, and combined operations worldwide. In the spring of 2025, they were based at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, carrying out aviation support and humanitarian missions across East Africa.
Knowing Justin served within this squadron during that time adds a deeper weight to the story. His quiet return through Miramar’s PAX Terminal wasn’t simply another flight landing; it marked the end of months spent overseas supporting real-world crisis response operations. The setting might have been small and quiet, but the mission behind it was anything but.
About VMM-161 – The “Greyhawks”
Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 161, known as the Greyhawks, operates out of Marine Corps Air Station Miramar as part of Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing. Flying the MV-22 Osprey, the unit provides medium-lift assault support and is often deployed for global crisis response missions. In 2025, VMM-161 operated from Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, as part of Combined Joint Task Force – Horn of Africa, continuing a legacy that began in 1951 of serving wherever Marines are needed most.
Their motto — “The First, The Best” — feels especially fitting when you see one of their own finally come home.
A Full-Circle Moment
The last time I photographed the Isabellas was back in 2022, when their son Sterling was born. First came their Fresh 48 session at Balboa Naval Hospital, a tiny hospital room filled with love and the softest light. I still remember moving the bassinet closer to the window, watching Justin lean over while Ashley smiled through quiet exhaustion. A few weeks later, I photographed them again at home, surrounded by morning light and newborn stillness.
Seeing them now at the Miramar PAX Terminal felt like a full-circle moment. This time, the light poured through tall windows instead of hospital blinds, and their little ones weren’t swaddled; they were running. It’s such a privilege to watch the same families I once met in those early, quiet days now standing together in moments like this, welcoming their Marine home.
Marines departing from a Sierra Pacific flight that just landed
The Quiet Kind of Homecoming
Most people picture a Marine homecoming filled with crowds, flags, and the hum of a hangar. The PAX Terminal at Miramar tells a different story. It’s smaller, quieter, and somehow more intimate. There are no loudspeakers or formal formations, just a handful of families waiting by the glass doors, eyes fixed on the runway.
For Ashley and the kids, this was a quiet homecoming. Justin was part of an earlier return group, so there wasn’t a big ceremony. It was simply about being together again. And honestly, those moments often end up being the most beautiful.
Why Marines Come Home Through the PAX Terminal
The PAX Terminal (Building 9100 on North Miramar Way) is the base’s passenger terminal. It supports both duty travel and early returns, which is why many families find themselves there before the larger unit comes home.
Some Marines return through PAX because they’re part of an advance team or because their deployment timeline shifts. For others, it’s a reassignment or a shorter mission. Whatever brings them back early, the emotion is always the same: relief, gratitude, and the joy of seeing familiar faces after months apart.
Tracking the Flight
One of my favorite details from this homecoming was watching Ashley and the kids follow Justin’s flight on FlightAware. Since many PAX flights are registered, families can sometimes track them publicly. The little blue airplane icon crept closer and closer to San Diego until it finally disappeared from view. That’s when Ashley looked at me and said quietly, “He’s almost home.”
If you ever find yourself waiting at the PAX Terminal, here are a few helpful tips:
1. Ask your Marine for flight details if possible. Many PAX flights use AMC (Air Mobility Command) call signs beginning with “RCH,” which stands for Reach.
2. Search “MCAS Miramar (KNKX)” arrivals on FlightAware or FlightRadar24 to see incoming flights.
3. Set up flight alerts so you get a notification when it lands. This is especially helpful if you’re coordinating kids or traveling from off-base.
4. Don’t worry if the flight disappears from tracking. Some military flights stop broadcasting during transit for operational security reasons.
Even if you can’t find the exact flight, following it together adds an extra layer of anticipation. It turns waiting into something shared and hopeful.
Family looking at FlightAware for their Marines flight
What to Expect at MCAS Miramar’s PAX Terminal
If you’ve never been there, the PAX Terminal is located inside base housing traffic similar to a small airport.
Address:
MCAS Miramar Passenger (PAX) Terminal
Building 9100 North Miramar Way
San Diego, CA 92145
Contact: (858) 307-4283
Hours: Mon–Thu 7:30 AM–7 PM, Fri 7:30 AM–5 PM, Sun 2–5 PM (Closed Saturdays and holidays)
If you’re driving on without a DoD ID, use the East Gate off I-15 and Miramar Way. Bring a valid license, vehicle registration, and proof of insurance. Once cleared, follow Miramar Way to Obregon Avenue, then Pless Avenue, then Talbot Avenue to Building 9100.
The terminal itself is simple and functional, with seating areas, vending machines, and posted flight boards. You’ll find other families waiting quietly, some holding flowers or homemade signs, all watching the same door.
Making It Personal
Yes, you should still make homecoming signs and dress up!! Ashley wore a red dress that caught the last bit of sunlight coming through the windows. Grace, their eight-year-old daughter, wore blue, the first one who spotted her dad. Sterling, three, wore a white-and-blue striped button-up and was second to hug dad.
These are the kinds of moments that make the PAX Terminal feel anything but ordinary. Even surrounded by concrete and flightline hum, you can feel the joy fill the space.
A Photographer’s Perspective
As a photographer, these sessions remind me why I love what I do. There’s no need for elaborate backdrops or staged poses. It’s about connection. Ashley’s relief as she hugs Justin, the way Grace buries her face against his uniform, Sterling’s little hands gripping dad.
I’ve captured grand ceremonies before, but these quieter homecomings hold a different kind of weight. They’re personal, honest, and sacred in their simplicity.
Why PAX Terminal Homecomings Are Underrated
There’s beauty in the simplicity. At the PAX Terminal, no one rushes you off the flightline. There’s time to breathe, to laugh, to cry. You don’t have to shout over the noise or wait for a cue. You just live the moment and get to go home really quickly!
These early returns may not make headlines, but they make memories that last. They remind us that love doesn’t need a ceremony to be celebrated. It only needs presence.
For this family, that ment plenty of time to breathe, draw a few dinosaurs to keep Sterling’s attention and walk around the waiting area looking at all the plane models and describing the ones that mom and dad work on.
Some more images from the Isabella Families Gallery
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