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HERAT, Afghanistan – Afghan airmen are frequently seen soaring through the skies of Herat province in Afghan Air Force MI-17 helicopters.
However, at Shindand Air Base they've discovered it takes more than pilots to keep their air force moving forward, and are learning valuable self-sustaining support skills.
Deployed U.S. airmen and their Aeronautica Militare (Italian Air Force) counterparts make up the 838th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group in Shindand, and are vital advisors to AAF airmen and building capacity for the AAF’s future.
Some skills that AAF airmen are sharpening are: POL (petroleum, oil and lubricant) maintenance, refuelling, security forces, computer operations, fire department operations, antenna and communications systems, medical, vehicle operations and administrative.
“An advising role is different at every base. The capabilities of the Afghan bases and people determine what road the advisor must take,” said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Matthew Hansen, deployed from the 100th Civil Engineer Squadron at Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England. “The training is basic; the deployed location will determine the advisory role.”
Hansen hails from Spirit Lake, Iowa, and is frequently seen advising Shindand’s first two AAF firefighters, whom will eventually be part of a fully staffed fire station.
Using an old Russian helicopter to test the AAF airmen’s abilities, Hansen and 1st Marshall (Senior Master Sgt.) Ciro Tenace, ITAF Provider Team advisor, set up a downed-helicopter scenario.
With lights flashing and sirens wailing, AAF firefighters airmen Abdull Fatho and Asis Ahmed moved at high speeds toward the ‘downed’ helicopter.
Once on scene, they egressed their fire truck, and as Fatho extinguished the simulated flames, Ahmed entered the helicopter, simulated turning off the fuel system, electrical power, and pulled a simulated pilot out of the blaze.
“This is important because we can rescue a downed pilot and save lives,” said Ahmed, who recently completed the four-month basic fire academy in Kabul.
According to Hansen, the fire academy in Kabul is very similar to the technical school U.S. Air Force firefighters attend.
At the Kabul school house, AAF airmen learn the vitality of their profession.
“If I don't extinguish a helicopter quickly and turn off the power and fuel supply, a downed helicopter can quickly become a gigantic bomb,” said Ahmed.
Hansen is pleased with the rate AAF airmen sponge up training and has high hopes for the AAF’s future.
“Seeing the Afghan fire fighters working toward self-sustainment is the most rewarding part of my job here,” said Hansen. “They are capable of self-sustainment. The Afghan mindset will change so they can self govern in the current times.”
Hansen said the two AAF airmen at Shindand are not ready for the worst-case scenario like a mass-casualty situation yet. However, U.S. and Italian advisors are working to enable them to act on their own in the future.
“The Afghans have an understanding that they will work with the coalition forces until they are ready to take over,” said Hansen. “The fire fighters will not be ready to take over until more personnel and equipment arrives, coupled with continued training.”
Currently most U.S. Air Force fire fighters are filling six-month deployment billets to enable this advisory role. The Italian counterparts rotate on one-to-two month cycles but deploy more frequently.
The combined efforts of the U.S. and Italian airmen has proven effective in Shindand, and the top Italian officer expressed optimism the advisory role his airmen are providing will have positive impacts on the AAF’s future.
“It’s an honorable mission to advise the AAF at its infancy,” said ITAF Col. Girolamo Iadicicco, ITAF Provider Team commander. “Someday this air force and these airmen will be responsible for protecting their homeland, supporting ground soldiers and securing their skies.”
| Date Taken: | 03.15.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 03.16.2011 01:12 |
| Story ID: | 67144 |
| Location: | HERAT, AF |
| Web Views: | 139 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Air advisory fire fighters key to AAF future, by SMSgt Kevin Wallace, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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