Trips, tours, adventure

Photo By Senior Master Sgt. Krystie Martinez | Built in the 11th century, it is believed that Burana Tower was part of a minaret, a tower attached to a mosque, but the top part was destroyed during an earthquake in the 15th century. The tower is part of a tour offered by the 376th Expeditionary Force Support Squadron Information Trips and Tours program to service members deployed to the Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Krystie Martinez)  

TRANSIT CENTER AT MANAS, KYRGYZSTAN

09.22.2013

Story by Staff Sgt. Krystie Martinez 

376th Air Expeditionary Wing

TRANSIT CENTER AT MANAS, Kyrgyzstan - The chance to go hiking, whitewater rafting, or see a ballet are just a few perks of being deployed to the Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan.

Service members here work long hours nearly every day of the week. So to accommodate people from every career field the 376th Expeditionary Force Support Squadron Information Trips and Tours program offers off-base excursions seven days a week.

Trips and tours are available to all military and civilians stationed at the Transit Center, providing they have approval from their supervisor and first sergeant or commander. Transients are not authorized to leave the installation.

"The Transit Center is one of only a few bases that offer trips downtown because of the heightened security in all of Southwest Asia and the Middle East," said Tech. Sgt. David Hatcher, 376 EFSS ITT, lead marketing contracting officer representative. "The downtown Bishkek area provides an array of historical sites, museums, malls, restaurants, and national parks."

While some trips are free, others cost from $28 - $85 depending on the excursion.

"Being able to go on these trips on the members day off, provides them the opportunity to feel as they would if they were back home in the U.S. and wanted to go shopping or dining out," said Hatcher a Beckley, W.Va., native who is deployed from Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. "As long as they have a signed permission slip and provide payment to the ITT office four days prior to the event, they can attend these trips."

For those deployed here for an extended time, the opportunities to go on off-base trips are a great chance to learn more about the country they are spending so much time in.

"There are many opportunities in the area and downtown Bishkek that allow the military stationed at TCM to experience the local culture," he said. "Being able to go downtown and see the local traditions helps everyone to better understand the community they are residing in and helps to promote a positive attitude in what the military is doing here."

For more information on the ITT program or to coordinate an off-base request, contact the ITT office at 441-5607 or your unit off base request monitor.

• Date Taken: 09.22.2013
• Date Posted: 09.30.2013 02:06
• Story ID: 114465
• Location: TRANSIT CENTER AT MANAS, KG
• Hometown: BECKLEY, WV, US