Air Force official home from Haiti

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - Lieutenant Colonel Cheryl Lanke is now back home in Terre Haute, lucky to be with her family.

Lt. Lanke was working in Haiti until just a week before the earthquake.

"Our headquarters building collapsed, the one that I worked in so yeah we could have been there," she said.

Although now she's wishing she was still in Haiti to help.

"It's a catch 22, I'm glad I'm not there but I wish I was there."

Lanke spent six months working with Haitians, helping them to train their people and stabilize the impoverished country.

"We had some roads built some schools built," Lanke said.

Then in just a few moments all her work was undone.

While her heart goes out to those she met abroad Lanke's also thinking of her comrades.

"My first thought was to the people who replaced me," she said. "I just came back so my thoughts were with what happened to the four guys that are there now."

While she wonders about those she left behind Lanke said it will be years before the military makes gains in Haiti again.