Dyess Airmen Support Counterterrorism Operations

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, AFGHANISTAN

05.02.2017

Story by Senior Airman Joshua Crawley 

455th Air Expeditionary Wing   

AT HOME STATION, WORK CAN START TO FEEL LIKE JUST ANOTHER DAY AT THE OFFICE; EVEN IF THAT OFFICE
IS A C-130J SUPER HERCULES. BUT THE CHANGE WORKING IN A DEPLOYED ENVIRONMENT BRINGS TO THE
TABLE CAN BE EYE OPENING. AIRMEN FROM DYESS LEAVE THE BIG STATE OF TEXAS FOR BAGRAM AIR FIELD,
AND GET A SENSE OF HOW THEY FIT IN TO THE BIGGER PICTURE OF THE AIR FORCE MISSION.

A1C Max Ritter, C-130 Crew Chief
“The job here, you see a lot more of the results of what we’re actually doing. Back at home station, it’s a lot of training missions
back there. But you actually see the effect and the impact that we have, whether that be that forward operating base get the
supplies it needs, or that patient gets aeromedically evac’d and gets the treatment that they need.”

WITH BAGRAM’S FOCUS ON COUNTERTERRORISM MISSIONS, THE DAY TO DAY WORK CAN BE UNPREDICTABLE.

A1C Max Broman, C-130 Loadmaster
“Every time you land somewhere, you don’t totally know what you’re going to get until it comes out to the aircraft, and sometimes
you get some pretty non-standard stuff.”
“If you’ve never deployed before, as a loadmaster, be ready for anything. We get some crazy stuff out here that you never thought
you’d have to deal with.”

MANY AIRMEN WILL NOTICE OTHER DIFFERENCES IN THEIR NEW WORK ENVIRONMENT AS WELL…

A1C Max Broman, C-130 Loadmaster
“Big difference between flying out here versus back home, out here we have to worry about enemies that might be trying to shoot at us,
whereas back home we don’t have to worry about anything like that.”

A1C Max Ritter, C-130 Crew Chief
“It’s serious out here, its the real deal. People’s lives depend on what you do out here every day, no matter what job you’re in.”

DESPITE THE PRESENCE OF DANGER, THESE AIRMEN ARE DEDICATED TO GETTING THE MISSION DONE RIGHT.

SENIOR AIRMAN JOSH CRAWLEY, BAGRAM AIRFIELD, AFGHANISTAN

• Date Taken: 05.02.2017
• Date Posted: 05.02.2017 11:12
• Story ID: 232257
• Location: BAGRAM AIR FIELD, AF