AFCENT command chief visits Afghan Air Force Airmen and coalition advisors

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN

01.21.2011

Story by Petty Officer 3rd Class Jared Walker 

438th Air Expeditionary Wing

KABUL, Afghanistan - U.S. Air Forces Central's senior enlisted advisor, Chief Master Sgt. Robert A. Parsons, visited with NATO Air Training Command -Afghanistan and 438th Air Expeditionary Wing Airmen here Jan. 19.

Chief Parsons visited the Kabul area of operations to meet with airmen to learn their missions and consider any kind of assistance he could provide.

During his visit, Chief Parsons met with NATC-A officials from the 438th AEW, received a brief about the Afghan Air Force advising mission, toured the AAF Big Air School, also known as Pohantoon-e-Hawayee, rode with AAF pilots and NATC-A advisor on an Mi-17 transport helicopter training mission, and met with the AAF’s senior enlisted advisors.

Chief Parsons was highly impressed by the hard work and dedication of the advisors he met.

“I think that the advisors don’t understand the magnitude of what they are doing; I like to say a lot that pioneers rarely see the fruits of their labor,” he said. “I think that these advisors have no idea how they are impacting this country, the region and the history that they are making.”

Chief Parsons also spoke of the work ethic of the Afghan military members he met.

“I found the Afghans to be very professional; it’s just amazing to hear the excitement in their voices when they talk about the work that they are doing," the chief said."Their work centers are very clean. They take a lot of pride in what they are doing and that’s encouraging.”

One of the highlights of the trip was meeting and building a relationship with the AAF’s Command Sgt. Maj. Eid Mohammad.

“Eid Mohammad is such a professional,” Chief Parsons said. “His dedication to furthering the development and building of the Afghan Air Force is really encouraging. He’s a great person and I am glad that I got the chance to meet him.”

He also met with airmen throughout the Kabul area, including Camp Eggers, Camp Phoenix and ISAF Joint Command during his whirlwind two-day visit before returning to the forward deployed AFCENT headquarters.

“It’s amazing to get to see the developments and the progress that’s being done here because it really shows how far we have come,” he said. “Seeing the people who are excited about executing this mission really made this visit. I look forward to coming back and seeing the progress that is being made.”

• Date Taken: 01.21.2011
• Date Posted: 01.21.2011 08:06
• Story ID: 63920
• Location: KABUL, AF