‘1000s of Hands Project’: 455th Defender A1C Tyler Simpson

Photo By Tech. Sgt. Cierra Presentado | U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Tyler Simpson, left, 455th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron combat patrolman, clears out his weapon at the security forces guard mount May. 29, 2015, at Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan. Simpson, whose duties of protecting the base include flight line entry control checker, flight line security patrolman and first responder to all incidents on the base, is part of the last few ‘thousand’ Airmen here that have a hand in delivering technology and courage to protect the base and our Afghans partners. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Cierra Presentado/Released)  

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, AFGHANISTAN

05.30.2015

Story by Senior Airman Cierra Presentado 

455th Air Expeditionary Wing   

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan—Airman 1st Class Tyler Simpson, 455th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron combat patrolman, ensures the safety of the base by performing flightline security and monitoring all personnel entering the flightline. Simpson’s core task of patrolling the flight line allows aircraft to safely land and takeoff without hindering the mission.

“We control everything on the flightline,” said Simpson. If we are not here planes are not getting off the ground and that’s our biggest asset in Afghanistan. It’s a huge effort by everyone here but our job is definitely essential to getting birds in the sky. When it gets hectic we just do our job and get it done, but it is definitely a good day when it is quiet.”

Simpson is part of the "1000s of Hands" of 455th AEW Airmen who are critical to the wing's mission to generate and sustain airpower on the combat frontier of Afghanistan for NATO’s Resolute Support mission and Operation Freedom’s Sentinel. The "1000s of Hands" projects highlights Vulture Airmen who have a hand in delivering a blanket of steel, technology and courage to protect the force in the field and support Afghan National Defense and Security Forces.

• Date Taken: 05.30.2015
• Date Posted: 05.30.2015 09:57
• Story ID: 164978
• Location: BAGRAM AIR FIELD, AF