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KABUL, Afghanistan - Afghan air force Lt. Jawad Karami, a student at the Thunder Lab, an English immersion program at the Afghan air force base in Kabul, Afghanistan, comes from a large and educated family. The son of a teacher, he is the second oldest and the first person to join the military in his family. His younger brother is following in his footsteps as a student at the National Military Academy, studying to become an infantry officer.
Karami says that his family is very proud that he is in the military, especially his father who has told him that Afghanistan needs a strong military. And that is exactly what he wants to provide for his country, he said—an example of integrity and strength in Afghanistan.
Karami enrolled at the NMA at the age of 20 and continued his education there for four years. After graduating from NMA, he went into service of his country with the Afghan air force, which he has been serving for two years now. After NMA, Karami went to the Kabul English Language Course held at the AAF Base in Kabul.
“I was at KELTIC for six months. When you join the Air Force you have to go to KELTIC, you have to take a test and then go to KELTIC for English classes. You must get more than a 55 to pass,” said Karami.
After graduating from KELTIC, Karami went to the Thunder Lab in Kabul to further his English training with the ultimate goal of becoming an AAF pilot. Due to the fact that English is the universal language of aviation, learning the language is a very important for pilot candidates.
“I went to improve my English .When I first joined the Thunder Lab I couldn’t speak English very well, but now I can speak English, and I can understand English speakers a lot better. It’s not mandatory; it’s voluntary to be at the Thunder Lab,” said Karami.
While at the Thunder Lab, Karami made a name for himself with his advisors.
“Jawad has always been on time and always in class. He never gives any problems and he does what he is told to do. He has come far in his time at the Thunder Lab and has set the example for the other LT's here. He will be missed when he leaves at the end of the month for further training,” said Staff Sgt. James M. French, senior logistic officer trainer at the Thunder Lab with NATO Air Training Command- Afghanistan in Kabul.
Up next for Karami is pilot training. After training, he will come back to Afghanistan and fly airplanes. When this day arrives, he says that he wants to be a leader, so he can help guide his fellows in the AAF and assist the younger generation in stabilizing Afghanistan.
“The younger generation is important to Afghanistan, because they are more literate. Day by day technology is changing, and the new generation better understands it. The AAF needs the younger generation which is better educated and can help in the modernization of the AAF. Every country needs a strong air force. If a country doesn’t have a strong air force, then it can be invaded or attacked by another country. If the military does a good job, the civilians will be safe here in Afghanistan,” he said.
Karami feels that to become a stronger military, good leadership is needed. He said that good leadership means treating your troops well, motivating them to know English, learning new technology, pushing for their subordinates to be good leaders too and defending their country.
“Integrity is very important in leadership. If there is integrity and honesty, you will go far, but if you are corrupt and dishonest you will not. My experience with the Americans at the Thunder Lab taught me about integrity and how to be a leader for our soldiers,” he said.
Karami has enjoyed working with the Americans and British. He spoke of how their being here in Afghanistan helps his country.
“If coalition forces weren’t here, there would be a lot of problems here like when the Taliban were in charge. I think most of Afghanistan doesn’t like the Taliban, and I am personally against them. I joined the military to help fight them and make Afghanistan a better country in this world,” he said.
For Karami, good leadership is exemplified by Ahmad Shah Massoud, Afghanistan’s National Hero. He always thought about his country and how to defend Afghanistan’s borders, Karami said.
“For me, Massoud is an example of how to be a good leader. A lot of people can be like Massoud if they take the opportunity. The more students that graduate from NMA, the more good leaders like Massoud the AAF will have,” said Karami.
Karami emphasized that being from different tribes doesn’t matter, and he considers everyone from all the tribes to be his countrymen.
“It is not important what the ethnicity of the people is, because we are all Afghans. I want to be able to do my job. Getting my job done is more important to me than what a man or woman’s tribe is. I want to make a great air force here in Afghanistan, because I am proud to be an Afghan,” he said.
Karami said that he is pleased to be in the AAF.
“I see my future and the AAF’s future and I know that it will be very good. I will be a pilot and a leader. I will be with the younger generation and see modern technology that will improve and develop the military and strengthen Afghanistan. This is not the end of lesson, it is only the beginning,” he said.
He wants more fathers to allow their children to join the military.
“Some fathers in Afghanistan don’t let their sons and daughters join the military. I say let your children join the military. If you want this to be a good country, let them join and strengthen the military and have security for Afghanistan. It is a good opportunity for them to serve our country. Militaries all over the world, like International Security Assistance Forces, are coming here to Afghanistan to help improve the military and make it better,” said Karami.
Karami leaves at the end of December to go to a partner nation in the Middle East for further training in English and pilot training. He is not the first to go nor will he be the last. His training will help establish the Afghan air force and the rest of the Afghan military. With more officers and enlisted in the Afghan military like him, the future shines more brilliantly for Afghanistan and her diverse people every day.
| Date Taken: | 12.20.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 12.20.2010 01:18 |
| Story ID: | 62301 |
| Location: | KABUL, AF |
| Web Views: | 92 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
This work, Lt. Jawad Karami and Afghanistan’s Future, by PO1 Jared Walker, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
