Bagram grows,Bagram grows,expexpands withands withFETFET - Pages 12-13- Pages 12-13

JJululy 9,y 9, 20072007 wwwwww.cfc-a.centcom.mil.cfc-a.centcom.mil

Army America's Army game cele-brates fifth anniversaryWEST POINT, N.Y. - July 4 markedthe fifth anniversary of the launch ofAmerica's Army, the Army's computergame and one of the top-ten onlinegames.

It also marked the launch of a newWeb site, www.americasarmy.com.

America's Army players go throughboot camp, ranger and airborne train-ing and even experience the elite spe-cial forces. They learn about rules ofengagement, life-saving skills and theArmy Values - loyalty, duty, respect,selfless service, honor, integrity andpersonal courage.

"The America's Army game placesSoldiering front and center withinpopular culture and showcases thehigh-tech, team-oriented and values-driven nature of the Army," said ArmyCol. Casey Wardynski, originator ofthe America's Army game.

Since its debut in 2002, theAmerica's Army program has regis-tered more than 8.5 million users inmore than 60 countries, and expandedto include console and cell-phonegames, the Real Heroes program andthe Virtual Army Experience. Thegame has been downloaded more than40 million times, and players havespent more than 200 million hours, or3.5 billion rounds of play, experienc-ing life as Soldiers.

The new Web site features theArmy Combat Uniform digital-cam-ouflage pattern and new content thatprovides a sneak peek at America'sArmy 3.0, scheduled to launch in 2008.

In conjunction with video-game

publisher Ubisoft, the Army alsodeveloped such games as "America'sArmy: Special Operations" for cellphones and "America's Army: Rise ofa Soldier" for Xbox. The next game,"America's Army: True Soldiers," willrelease for Xbox 360(tm) this fall.

The Real Heroes program tells thestories of Soldiers who receivedawards for courage in the war on ter-ror through the America's Army gameand a line of action figures. The pro-gram is featured at www.americas-army.com/realheroes.

Air Force 'Transformers' put Airmen,aircraft on big screenSAN ANTONIO - More than 300Airmen and numerous aircraft will beseen around the world in the latestDreamWorks/Paramount Picturesfilm, "Transformers," that wasreleased to theaters July 4.

The movie combines the use oflive action with computer-generatedimagery to enhance the story, asAirmen served as extras in the movie,some with speaking roles, and aircraftare featured in the summer block-buster.

"We would never have been able tomake this movie without the willing-ness of the (Defense Department) toembrace this project. We're proud ofthe fact that almost every military role,including extras, was played by mili-tary or ex-military personnel," said IanBryce, the producer of"Transformers."

Air Force aircraft played a hugerole by providing security during thefilming and in one case during themovie, an F-22 Raptor turns into anevil "Transformer" called Starscream.

Along with the F-22s, F-117Nighthawks and the CV-22 Ospreyare featured prominently throughoutthe movie. Also featured are the A-10Thunderbolt II, C-17 GlobemasterIII, MH-53 Pave Low, HH-53 Super

Jolly Green Giant, AC-130 Gunship,C-130 Hercules, MQ-1 Predatorunmanned aerial vehicle and Air ForceOne.

DoDIt was golf or special ops forTiger WoodsWASHINGTON - If Tiger Woodsweren't a professional golfer, he'dprobably be a member of the mili-tary's special operations community,Woods told reporters today at theCongressional Country Club July 3.

"I told Dad if I didn't make it (as agolfer) in the first few years, that'sprobably where I'd go," he said. "I'dprobably end up going into the mili-tary - and I don't know what branch -but I'd certainly want to be in the spe-cial operations community." Indeed,Woods underwent four days of Armyspecial operations training at FortBragg, N.C., in conjunction with a golfclinic he hosted there in April 2004.Woods' late father, Earl Woods, worethe Green Beret for 12 years as aSpecial Forces soldier during his 20-year Army career.

"That just seems to be more of a fitconsidering what I grew up with, and Icertainly understand it and can relateto it," Tiger said. "But somehow Iended up here. I made a couple puttsin those years."

The golfer said that when he turned10 years old, he began to play on mili-tary golf courses, using his status as a"military dependent."

"I had my little card, and I couldflash that and get on the golf course,"he said. "The only frustrating thingwas a lot of military bases had an agelimit of 10. I thought I could playbefore that."

Woods has since hit the links onmany of America's military courses,and he especially likes the Air ForceAcademy's course in ColoradoSprings, Colo., he said.

DEFENSE DIGESTPage 2 Freedom Watch July 9, 2007

ContentsPAGE 2

Defense DigestPAGE 4The misadventures of Airman Snuffy McDufflebag PAGE 5Korean Hospital celebrates treating 240,000 patientsPAGE 6National Guard Soldiers patrol QarabaghPAGE 7NAMSA service, support transaction brings changes toKAF PAGE 8-9

Afghan police chief earns Soldier’s respectPAGE 10Navy mechanics keep missions rollingPAGE 11Freedom FocusPAGE 12-13FET team keeps Bagram improving, growingPAGE 14The family that deploys together ...PAGE 15Entertainment Page

Freedom Watch Page 3July 9, 2007

COVERAir Force Staff Sgt. Rebecca Cook, 755th ExpeditionaryCivil Engineer Squadron engineering technician from EglinAir Force Base, Fla., and eastern expansion project manager,performs a fence tie inspection at the eastern expansion proj-ect. (Photo by Air Force Staff Sgt. Oshawn Jefferson)

Freedom Watch is a weekly publication of Combined Joint Task Force-82.

CJTF-82 Commander Army Maj. Gen. David M. RodriguezRC East Public Affairs Officer Army Lt. Col. David A. Accetta

Freedom Watch, a Department of Defense publication, is published eachMonday by the American Forces Network - Afghanistan Print Section atBagram Airfield, Afghanistan. Printed circulation is 5,000 copies per week.

In accordance with DoD Instruction 5120.4, this DoD newspaper is anauthorized publication for members of the U.S. military overseas.

Contents of the Freedom Watch are not necessarily the official view of, orendorsed by, the U.S. government or the Department of Defense.

Deadline for submissions is noon local each Friday. All submissions aresubject to editing by the AFN-A Print Section, located in Bldg. 415, Room205, Bagram Airfield. We can be reached at DSN 318-231-3338.

1100Photo by Army Sgt. Tony J. Spain

Navy Petty Officer 1st Class James Bassitt, AmphibiousConstruction Battalion, Detachment 106, places a jack standunder a High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle beforebeginning work replacing a ball joint at the Farah ProvincialReconstruction Team.

66Photo by Army Sgt. Jim Wilt

Army Sgt. Paul L. Wilkerson, a forward observer with Battery A,2nd Battalion, 138th Field Artillery Regiment, Kentucky NationalGuard, pulls security during a dismounted patrol through a bazaaron Route 1 near Qarabagh in Ghazni province, Afghanistan. Theremains of a destroyed "jingle truck" lays on the side of the roadfollowing an attack several weeks ago.

Freedom Watch StaffCommander - Air Force Maj.

John BryanSuperintendent - Senior Master Sgt.

Richard SimonsenNCOIC - Air Force Staff Sgt.

Oshawn JeffersonEditor/Print Chief - Senior Airman

Brian Stives

Visit the CJTF-82 Web site atwww.cfc-a.centcom.mil

COMMENTARYPage 4 Freedom Watch July 9, 2007

By Air Force Staff Sgt. Oshawn JeffersonAmerican Forces Network - Afghanistan

Well, well, well what a week it hasbeen. Apparently researchers at Harvardand McGill University (in Montreal) areworking on an amnesia drug that blocksor deletes bad memories. I'm sure we'llsoon be popping those along with ourMalaria pills. I've been taking it forweeks now and I have to say this is mygreatest deployment ever. Yea!! ParisHilton is back from vacation and has amessage for her fans: don't drink anddrive. I’ve got to say her time in jail hasgiven her a positive message for the peo-ple. Hopefully, we can get drinking anddriving down to zero on BAF. But that'sgoing to be difficult because those grapeGatorades are delicious. Sometimes Ijust can't wait until I get home, but forParis - I'll try. Anyway, I digress.

I finished the fourth of July 10KPeachtree run in 40 minutes flat. O.K. tobe honest I was coming out of theDragon DFac and got caught in thecrowd of people running. I didn't evenknow they were having a 10 km run. Iknow I should return the T-shirt, but it'sreally nice - 100 percent cotton.

Well, I ran into Master Sgt. JohnnyMentor, who was waiting after the raceto see if he had won a prize, he thoughthe had a chance to win because he saidnobody could possibly have a continu-ous run of bad luck that he has had. Iknew immediately that Airman SnuffyMcDufflebag was up to his habitual-linestepping antics again. So I asked himwhat happened now.

Apparently the G-14 ClassifiedInteroperability of AfghanistanOperations Office found the key to end-ing the war in Afghanistan. They cameup with a weapon the Taliban wouldnever see coming - mine-sniffing ShihTzus. It was believed they could get intothe little places that people and big dogs

can't.Yes, ten dogs, also known as the

Chinese Lion Dog, were being trainedand put to work in the area of responsi-bility and McDufflebag was put incharge of the new program.

Most of the training for the newfour-legged warriors was conducted atthe west Shih Tzus mine range off base.Snuffy would take the dogs to the rangeand let them loose. When they find asuspected mine, they would sit downand Snuffy would look through hisbinoculars to ensure they were actuallyby a mine, call them back and give thema snack.

Well, during his last trip out, Snuffyforgot to bring his binoculars, and decid-ed he would use the scope on his M-4 tocheck if the dogs had found their marks.

As Snuffy raised his weapon to checkon the dogs, he neglected to check if hisweapon was on safety, did not use muz-zle awareness and failed to keep his fin-gers off the trigger. While Snuffy waspraising the dogs for their mine findingskills, his finger slipped on the triggerand he shot a mine.

If you have imaginations, think of 10Shih Tzus disappearing with a boom andcloud of furry dust. Just think of thecover of the June 25 issue of FreedomWatch with the headline, "EOD:Business is booming!" Don't act like youdon't have it.

Sgt. Mentor said that so far in 2007,58 negligent discharges have resulted infive injuries and three deaths inOperation Enduring Freedom areas of

operation.He emphasized that each incident

was "unnecessary, preventable, and adirect result of individual servicemem-bers and leadership failures to enforcesafety standards.

"Each time a leader fails to enforce aweapon procedure standard, he or shemissed an opportunity to prevent afuture negligent discharge," he said.

Mentor said that the prevention offuture negligent discharges starts withproper clearing procedures and treatingevery weapon - regardless of its status -as if it is loaded.

"Weapons handling is one of ourmost basic servicemember tasks,"Mentor said. "Though they are a part ofeveryday life in theater, we cannotbecome complacent. We must be disci-plined servicemembers who do notcarelessly injure ourselves or our battlebuddies."

If the knowledge that they haveinjured or killed another because of theirown negligence is not enough to makeSoldiers observe proper practices, theycan also face wide-ranging charges underthe Uniform Code of Military Justice.Snuffy received an Article 15 and reduc-tion to Airman Basic Basic. His uniformis now sleeveless.

Commanders dictate unit policy forresponses to negligent discharges. Thoseresponses can range from informalretraining in weapons handling to crimi-nal charges in negligence and derelictionof duty. Injuries or death caused by NDcan result in harsher punishments.

What I learned is, that as an individ-ual servicemember, I am ultimatelyresponsible for my weapon and itsactions. I know I don't want to end upin a situation like Snuffy's and injuredpeople or destroy assets essential to ourmission success. I know I'll take this oneto heart, but as for AirmanMcDufflebag we all know that he will beat it again.

The Misadventures of Airman Snuffy McDufflebag

Story and photosBy Senior Airman Dilia DeGregoCombined Joint Task Force-82 Public Affairs

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghan-istan - The Republic of KoreaArmy 924th Medical Support Groupheld a ceremony here June 30 cele-brating their treating of the 240,000patient. They began their support ofOperation Enduring Freedom morethan five years ago.

ROK Col. Jan Soo Jeong, ROKSupport Group commander, as wellas other Coalition forces leadershipattended the commemorative cere-mony.

During the ceremony, the hospitalcommander, ROK Lt. Col. KimSeoung KI reaffirmed their commit-ment to build hope in Afghanistan.

"The Korean Hospital's medicalsupport is not just an act of treatinga physical disease, but the expres-

sion of love to plant a great hopeand strong will in the Afghan peopleso that they canrebuild theircountry," said thehospital com-mander. "We hopethat our sacrificeand devotion willbecome a seed ofperpetual peaceand freedom inAfghanistan.

"We will notremain satisfiedwith today's greatachievement," hecontinued. "Wepromise that wewill continue todo the best in all we do here in

Bagram, Afghanistan."The Korean Hospital's primary

mission is to treatand aid Afghancivilians as a levelone, out-patientcare facility, how-ever, the hospitalstaff also treatsCoalition forcesmembers andBAF employees.The hospital staffof 60, includingfour doctors,three nurses andnine medics,treats an averageof 170 to 200patients daily.

NEWSJuly 9, 2007 Freedom Watch Page 5

Korean Hospital celebrates treating 240,000 patients

“The KoreanHospital’s medical sup-port is not just an act oftreating a physical dis-ease, but the expressionof love to plant a greathope and strong will inthe Afghan people ...”

- Republic of Korea Lt. Col. Kim Seoung KI

Korean Hospital commander

The Republic of Korea Army Lt. Col. Kim Seoung KI, Korean Hospitalcommander, recognizes Coalition forces members who have helpedreach their most recent achievement of treating their 240,000 patientduring a ceremony June 30 at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. The hos-pital commander also recognized members of the hospital's 60-personstaff.

Members of the Republic ofKorea Army 924th MedicalSupport Group salute during theplaying of the Korean, Afghanand American national anthemsduring a ceremony June 30.

NEWSPage 6 Freedom Watch July 9, 2007

Story and photos By Army Sgt. Jim WiltCombined Joint Task Force-82 Public Affairs

QARABAGH, Afghanistan - "Getdown! Get down! Get down!," yelledAir Force Master Sgt. Jason Davis, anexplosive ordnance disposal techni-cian, seconds before shrapnel startedraining down on the Soldiers andbouncing off their HMMWV.

A day earlier, if not for the warn-ing of a local farmer, the Soldiers'truck would have struck the double-stacked antitank mine.

The warning enabled the Soldiersto stop before they hit the mine andsafely dispose of it. The warningpossibly saved their lives and the livesof farmers and children working inthe area.

Soldiers from Battery A, 2ndBattalion, 138th Field ArtilleryBrigade, Kentucky National Guard,were conducting a mounted presencepatrol in a village outside ofQarabagh when they were warnedabout mines in the area June 14.

"[God is] watching over us," saidSpc. Greg A. Race, an artillerymanwith Bat. A.

Unfortunately for the convoy com-ing to destroy the mines, they didn'treceive the same warning before theyhit a mine on the same road less thana kilometer from the halted patrol.

The troopers credit the farmerwith keeping a bad situation from get-ting worse.

"Most likely we would have hit thatone and they would have hit the otherone when they came in to get us,"Race, a native of Piner, Ky., said.

It also shows the impact the troop-ers are having in an area where peoplehave been scared into silence by theTaliban.

"A farmer stopping and telling you

there is something in the road showswe're having an effect on the area,"Race said.

The Guardsmen have beenpatrolling in the area since theyarrived here in March.

Their squad leader, Army StaffSgt. Matthew Linneman, said theyhad patrolled the same road just daysearlier.

The artillery unit, which is actingas military policemen, has been con-ducting mounted patrols because"more people see you out and aboutin the area," Race said.

Most of the Soldiers in the unitprefer a mounted patrol despite thedangers of mines and improvisedexplosive devices.

"The armor [on the trucks] works,"said Spc. Steven M. LaFever, a trackmechanic and native of Louisville,Ky.

Race also sees several advantagesto having vehicles during patrols such

as having armor, crew-servedweapons, and the ability to cover a lotof ground in a short period of time.

"We cover more ground," he said."We see a lot more faces."

Though the men of Battery A havevehicles, they don't always use them.They are not afraid to get out of thearmor and put a little wear on theirboots. During their mounted patrolsthey stop to talk with the people,investigate suspicious activity andcheck on reconstruction projects inthe area.

Despite the advantages ofpatrolling in vehicles, the men alsoknow the dangers.

"I pray every time I go out. I prayevery night when I lie down," Racesaid.

Whether mounted or dismounted,Race sees risk.

"I'm a big believer [that] if it's yourtime, it's your time," he said. "I'vebeen like that forever."

National Guard Soldiers patrol Qarabagh

Army Sgt. Paul L. Wilkerson, a forward observer with Battery A, 2ndBattalion, 138th Field Artillery Regiment, Kentucky National Guard,pulls security during a stop at a reconstruction site in Qarabagh inGhazni province, Afghanistan. The stop was part of a mounted patrol.

By Army Capt. Vanessa R. Bowman22nd Mobile Public AffairsDetachment

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghan-istan - As part of the Transition ofAuthority agreement between the U.S.and NATO, the NATO Maintenanceand Supply Agency has taken over themanagement of food and fuel con-tracts on behalf of all nations begin-ning July 1 here.

Although, those residing on KAFwill primarily be affected by thechange, those transiting through willalso be affected by the installation'snew dining procedures.

Of the changes, one of the mostnoticeable will be the use of serialnumbered food and fuel swipe cards.This will significantly increase theaccountability of who is using the din-ing facilities and fuel points, and totrack services provided. Each cardtransaction is traceable, creating amonthly roll-up of when and wherethe card is used.

The three different types of mealcards, are: individual user, bulk andtransient personnel. Transient person-nel are identified as: military personnelin uniform, military personnel andsponsored contractors not in uniformand all other cases, which apply to per-sonnel not being hosted by a unit.

Personnel in the first two categoriesjust need to sign in and swipe theirmeal cards. For those without a spon-sor, meal debit cards will be availablefor purchase. Three meal debit cardpurchase options will be availablebased on three meals per four mealperiod with rates of: $48 for a day,$300 for a week or $1,000 for a month.

"There are separate cards for foodand fuel," said Air Force 1st Lt. DonellPittman, U.S. NSE lead officer. "Thereason for the separation is becausewhile Supreme handles both contractsSupreme Foods and Fuels are separatebranches of the same parent compa-ny."

The fuel purchase card, which canbe restricted by fuel grade and point ofsale, are divided into four categories:retail, bulk, aviation and transient and

can be restricted by fuel. The processfor military personnel and U.S. spon-sored contractors for retail FPC hold-ers to get fuel will remain the sameexcept the FPC will be swiped at thefuel point.

Bulk FPC fuel will be deliveredbased on a fuel shipment request or aspart of an established route afterwhich Supreme will charge the appli-cable cards while aviation FPCs will beswiped by the delivery driver.

There will be three methods ofhandling transient FPCs transactions:the inbound unit pays by cash, thehosting unit purchases fuel with theircard or additional cards can berequested 72 hours prior to aninbound unit's arrival.

A further change includes the build-ing of additional dining facilities. KAFwill have four DFacs, which will eachfeature a different dining theme. TheNiagra DFAC will have NorthAmerican food, the Cambridge DFACwill serve British food, the Luxemburgwill feature European food and theNeptune will provide Mediterraneanstyle fare.

NEWSJuly 9, 2007

Please sit down.DariLotfan banishenead.(lot-fawn na-ne-she-need.)

PashtuMahra bani wakri kakhainai.(Ma-ra bonnie wok-ri-ka-ki-ni.)

Religious holidays in Afghanistan are celebrated according to the lunar calendar, while secularholidays are celebrated based on the solar calendar. On holidays, Afghans usually visit family andfriends where they prepare lavish meals and have special prayers with the extended family.

Dari/Pashtu phrase of the weekDari/Pashtu phrase of the week

Courtesy photo

Freedom Watch Page 7

NAMSA service, support transition brings changes to KAF

Story and photosBy Army Sgt. Jim WiltCombined Joint Task Force-82 Public Affairs

QARABAGH, Afghanistan - In theArmy, respect is one of the sevenArmy Values. Respect between fellowSoldiers is a critical part of militaryoperations.

For one Soldier in Battery A, 2ndBattalion, 138th Field ArtilleryBrigade, Kentucky National Guard,the respect he has for his AfghanNational Police counterpart has blos-somed into near brotherhood.

"We're just like brothers," said

Army Staff Sgt. Matthew Linneman, asquad leader in Bty. A, 2nd Bn., 138thFAB. "The only difference between usis the language."

Linneman, who arrived inAfghanistan in March, quickly becamefriends with the Qarabagh DistrictPolice Chief, Col. Abdul Shokor.

The friendship is built on mutualrespect. Respect between the two andrespect between the men who followthem.

Both Linneman, a Florence, Ky.native, and Shokor, a resident ofKabul, have more than their respectin common.

"They're like two peas in a pod,"said Army Sgt. Paul Wilkerson, a for-

ward observer in Bat. A.Both men are leaders, both are 51

years old and both fight against theTaliban.

"Taliban sabat," is a commonphrase heard between the two. The

Afghan police chief earns Soldier's respect

phrase means "Taliban tomorrow."["The ANP] get disappointed if we

don't find them," Linneman said.The troopers of Bat. A work hand

in hand with theANP, Linnemansaid.

"I love takingthem out on patrolwith us," he said.

Linneman saidhe believes inworking besidethem, not in frontof or behindthem.

"[Shokor] ispretty gutsy,"Wilkerson said."He gets out withus and dismounts with us."

Who is in charge of the men is anon-issue between them, Linnemansaid. They both are.

"What ever chief says goes. Whatever I say goes," he said.

Linneman has good reason toshare the decision making process.He understands there are aspects ofAfghanistan that he can never graspas well as Shokor.

"This is [Shokor's] backyard,"Linneman said.

Linneman's respect for Shokor ispartially based on Shokor's war fight-ing experience which is reflected inthe five scars on his body from bul-lets and shrapnel.

Shokor said when he was youngerhe woke up one day to tanks in histown.

Shortly after, he started fightingthe Soviet Union in Kandaharprovince as a mujahedeen in a warthat would leave the Russians defeat-ed and the country of Afghanistanfractured.

Shokor said he began to fightbecause he didn't believe in the ideasthe Russians had for the country.

After the defeat of the Russians,Shokor soon found himself fightingthe Taliban.

Today, he is still fighting theTaliban but now at the side of U.S.-led coalition forces.

"It is our country, we should workfor the country,"the police chiefsaid. "As a policechief, it is my jobto provide securi-ty for civilians."

Shokor's needto help the peopleof his district andhis men is evidentto the Soldierswho work underhim.

"He seems likea prettyrespectable guy.

He takes care of his men," Wilkersonsaid.

"He does what he can to help thepeople in his district," he added.

Shokor spends most of his time atthe district center. He said he sees hiswife and eight children for only two

days every two to three weeks. Therest of the time he is here.

The respect Linneman and his menshow Shokor is mirrored in therespect the squad leader receives fromthe "chief" and his men.

When the Afghan policemen arelooking for Linneman, they want toknow where the "commandant" or"grandfather" is. Grandfather isn't ashot at the skinny, grey-haired staffsergeant's age. It is a term of respect.It means Linneman is a good man.

The Soldiers and policemen thetwo lead have also formed their ownbonds between themselves.

Despite a language barrier, jokesand friendship pass between the men.In the evenings, food is exchangedbetween the two groups and a friend-ly game of volleyball is played.

While the two leaders may considerthemselves brothers, the two groupsof men, one from Kentucky, theother from various parts ofAfghanistan, form one big family.

July 9, 2007 Page 9Page 8 Freedom Watch FEATURE

Army Staff Sgt. Matthew Linneman, a squad leader in Battery A, 2nd Battalion, 138th Field Artillery Regiment,Kentucky National Guard, talks with Qarabagh District Police Chief, Col. Abdul Shokor during a joint U.S. andAfghan formation at the Qarabagh District Center in Ghazni province, Afghanistan.

Qarabagh District Police Chief, Col. Abdul Shokor talks to Afghan police-men and U.S. Army Soldiers during a formation at the Qarabagh DistrictCenter in Ghazni province, Afghanistan.

“It is our country, weshould work for thecountry. As a policechief, it is my job to provide security for

civilians.”- Afghan Col. Abdul ShokorQarabagh District Police Chief

“We’re just like brothers.The only differencebetween us is the

language.”- Army Staff Sgt. Matthew Linneman

Battery A, 2nd Battalion, 138th FieldArtillery Brigade squad leader

Story and photo By Army Sgt. Tony J. Spain22nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment.

FARAH PROVINCE, Afghanistan -The sound of air-power tools, wrench-es clanging and engines turning can beheard throughout the makeshift motorpool at the Farah ProvisonalRecronstruction Team.

Mechanics work to keep the provin-cial reconstruction team rolling along toaccomplish the mission of providingsecurity and bringing reconstructionand humanitarian aid in this westernprovince of Afghanistan.

In a motor pool lacking real bays andadequate shade for relief from the sum-mer sun, Navy Petty Officers 1st ClassJames Bassitt and Jimmy Seales, of theAmphibious Construction Battalion,Detachment 106, said they are workingwith and making the best of what theyhave available to them.

"They are currently building us a newmotor pool that will give us two baysand a lot more area to work with; itlooks like it is going to be real nice," saidBassit. "We are lacking in a lot of areashere, but we're still getting the jobdone."

The two Navy mechanics currentlywork with two Afghans who were hiredby the Farah PRT to help out with thestrenuous work load of keeping thevehicles running, the air conditioningcool and suspensions up.

Both Seales and Bassitt agree thecivilian mechanics are a big help andthey couldn't have made the progressthey have without them. They said thetwo have truly become part of the team.

"This team currently has 95 percentof all the vehicles running, which is a lotbetter than all the other PRTs inAfghanistan," Bassitt said, who is a resi-dent of San Antonio.

It has taken a lot of effort for these

mechanics to get to that high level ofmaintenance. When they arrived here inApril, more than 50 percent of thetrucks were down with air conditionerproblems.

"We have done a lot of work in acouple of months," said Seales. "Wenow have them all up except for oneand that is because we don't have theparts," said the native of San Antonio.

Trying to get parts to the Farah PRTcan be a challenge since it's located inone of the most remote and isolatedareas of Afghanistan.

"We are limited on our parts and weare kind of at the end of the chain so itis hard to get parts," Bassitt said. "Wemake use of everything we have."

Another major challenge for themechanics here is the rough terrain andclimate, which ranges from ruggedmountains to sweltering desert valleyswith extreme summertime heat andsandstorms. Conducting operations inthis kind of harsh environment can cre-ate havoc on military vehicles. The roadsystem is primitive at best with only onepaved road in the province, requiring

military vehicles to often travel off road."The rough terrain keeps us busy, we

are always working on the ball joints andstuff, and there is a lot of work going onhere," Bassitt said.

Seales agreed and said the rough ter-rain along with the extra weight fromthe up-armor upgrades puts a lot ofstress on the Humvees.

"We work on approximately 15 to 18trucks a week, almost all of them withsome kind of suspension problem," hesaid.

According to Soldiers going out onmissions from the Farah PRT, they aregrateful for the jobs the mechanics aredoing and realize how essential themechanics can be to the mission.

"The terrain here is very unforgiving,when you go out there, it is not a pavedroad like back home in the states andyou are looking at terrain that is rougherthan many off-road places in the UnitedStates," said Army Staff Sgt. Dale A.Schwenn, a mortar man from Arizona."So we rely on our mechanics a lot tokeep us rolling so we can accomplishour mission."

Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Jimmy Seales, Amphibious ConstructionBattalion, Detachment 106, removes a tire from a High MobilityMultipurpose Wheeled Vehicle to replace a ball joint at the FarahProvincial Reconstruction Team.

July 9, 2007Page 10 Freedom Watch NEWS

Navy mechanics keep missions rolling

Army Spc. Travis TieszenUnit and occupation: CH-47 (Chinook)mechanic with Company B, 122nd AviationSupport Battalion, 82nd Combat AviationBrigadeTime in the military: Five yearsHome Station: Fort Bragg, N.C.Hometown: Manno, S.D.What service do you provide on BagramAirfield? I perform phasing maintenance onChinook helicopters.Most memorable moment in Afghanistan:The change-of-command ceremony for ArmyMaj. Raymond Meadows, Company B, 122nd AviationSupport Battalion commander. "He is a great leader." What do you miss most about home? My wife and son.Hobbies: I like watching movies.

The first thing that you're going to do when you getback: Drink a beer and relax.Interesting personal fact: I joined the military as an F-16Fighting Falcon jet mechanic in the Air Force, and now workon helicopters in the Army.

July 9, 2007 Freedom Watch Page 11FREEDOM FOCUS

If you have high-quality photos of service-members supporting the Coalition mission orenjoying well-deserved off-duty time, pleasee-mail them to freedomwatch@swa.army.mil.Please include full identification and captioninformation, including who is in the photo andwhat action is taking place.

Photo by Army Spc. Daniel Love

PHOTOS FROM THE FIELDPHOTOS FROM THE FIELDCoalition forces servicemembers set up aperimeter under the cover of darkness onthe edge of Shurakian, Afghanistan, June29.

Photo by Army Spc. Aubree Rundle

NEWS

Story and photosBy Air Force Staff Sgt.Oshawn JeffersonAmerican Forces Network -Afghanistan

Increasingly, U.S. Air Force Airmenhave accepted in lieu of taskings forvarious periods of time to allow Armyunits an opportunity to recover. Acrossthe board, Airmen have been steppingup to assist fellow brothers-in-arms inOperations Enduring and IraqiFreedom. One such team, who show-cases the Air Force's core values on adaily basis, is the Facility EngineerTeam.

"FETs deploy during wartime toconduct Directorate of Public Works,base operations, environmental andfacility assessment mission," said AirForce Lt. Col. Gregory Cummings,755th Expeditionary Civil EngineerSquadron commander deployed fromLangley Air Force Base, Va.

"When we first received the taskorder for this deployment at our homestations, the term FET was unknownto us. However, once we got our bootson the ground and began operatingwithin this organization, we proved theAir Force was part of the joint forceteam focused on the mission," saidCummings.

Air Force Prime Base EngineerEmergency Force personnel grow-upat the base level, learning how to sus-tain, restore and modernize facilities.This gives them the skill-set to fill thispublic works, base operations and facil-

ity assessment mis-sion here.

"We are Airmenfilling requirementsthat combatantcommanders needto execute their mis-sions. Airmen haveskill-sets that are, insome cases, well-suited to accomplishmissions traditional-ly accomplished byour sister services,"said Senior MasterSgt. AndrewDrummond, 755thECES superinten-dent deployed fromRoyal Air ForceLakenheath,England. "With theplethora of require-ments out there, it isonly right that welift and shift to fillthe breach.Expeditionary engi-neers filling garrisonfacility support missions or our explo-sive ordnance disposal technicians per-forming counter-improvised explosivedevice defeat missions are strong skill-sets and meet the mission's need."

The FET team's day-to-day tacticalcontrol is assigned to Task ForceCincinnatus, the Army Support Groupfor the International SecurityAssistance Force Regional Command-East area of Afghanistan. TF

Cincinnatus reports directly toCombined Joint Task Force-82.

During their time here, they haveaccomplished many things. Some oftheir accomplishments include net-working the use of more than 60escorts to support more than 300 con-struction contractors on a daily basis;synchronizing all of the current and

Page 12 Freedom Watch July 9, 2007

Continued on Page 13

FET keeps Bagram improving, growing

Air Force Airman Joseph Jurotich, 455thExpeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron engineeringtechnician, surveys the area around the easternexpansion project at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan.

upcoming construction, which totalsmore than $300 million, through bi-monthly meetings with more than 15engineer and functional stakeholders.They are also responsible for mentor-ing local engineers in honing theirdesign skills, while producing function-al products and leveraging design bid-build and design-build capabilities formulti-million dollar programs. The pro-gram force multiplies customer sup-port and meets timelines and makesproject funding appear through solidjustification.

"A lot goes into the projects we do,"said Air Force Staff Sgt. Julio Morelos,755th ECES engineering technicianfrom Eglin AFB, Fla. "We have tocoordinate with outside agenciesbefore we can do anything, like LandManagement, the Mine Action Center,force protection, contracting and theAfghanistan government. All theseagencies are just as important to con-struction as the FET. Without theirsupport, all we would do is design."

"I have to say that our work ethic isphenomenal and quality of the productis outstanding," added Cummings. "Ifyou look synergy up in the dictionary,you will see a picture of this team."

One of the most visible projects theFET team is working on is the easternexpansion of Bagram Airfield, since

Bagram Airfield is the primary staginghub for Coalition forces entering andleaving the Central Asian States area ofoperations. The current fenced bound-ary of Bagram is just less than 2,000acres. In order to address force protec-tion requirements, varied missions andsurges in population, the IslamicRepublic of Afghanistan Minister ofDefense and U.S. representative signedan Accommodation ConsignmentAgreement.

"This agreement enabled the U.S. toexpand the base by another 2,000 acreswith the majority of that land to theeast," said Air Force Staff Sgt. RebeccaCook, 755th ECES engineering techni-cian from Eglin AFB and easternexpansion project manager. "That iswhy we call this portion the easternexpansion and are in the process offencing its perimeter and providing apatrol road. One of the uniqueprocesses added to the normal con-struction procedures here at Bagram isthat all construction areas must becleared of mines and unexploded ord-nance prior to starting work. All of ourefforts are synchronized very closelywith the Mine Action Center, and theirsupporting Coalition forces and con-tractor,s to ensure the safety of work-ers throughout the construction cycle."

Once finished, the eastern expansionwill be a key component to the devel-opment of BAF in that this area will be

used for the Army Materiel Commandexpansion, east side support facilitiesfor the receiving, staging and onwardintegration mission, which includes anew gym, dining facilities, and a multi-purpose facility, contractor village forlarge military construction projects,surge housing, war reserve materialstorage, a landfill with an incineratorand a waste water treatment plant.

"The DFAC will feed everyone onthe east side of the runway, stoppingthe mass transit requirement to getfolks from the east to west DFAC forbreakfast, lunch and dinner," said AirForce Maj. Bruce Jones, 755th ECESchief of engineering from Brooks CityBase, Texas. "The movement of thecurrent landfill will create safer air traf-fic as the birds will not be so close tothe end of the runway. I could go onand on but I think you get the gist ofthe impact."

Along with the FET Team, the755th ECES has the responsibility foroperational and administrative controlof more than 80 Air Force personnel(including explosive ordnance disposal,fire fighters, readiness, logistics, intelli-gence and information management)spread across more than 20 locationsin Afghanistan.

"I love my country and I really lovethe Air Force and the opportunities ithas provided me to protect and sup-port my family," said Cummings, anative of Palatka, Fla. "The pride ofbeing part of the Air Force family anddoing the job well has kept me goingsince 1976. This opportunity to leadAmerica's finest and to hold the trustof their families to take care of themin this combat environment is aresponsibility that keeps me up somenights praying for strength, wisdomand patience; but it is one that I cher-ish doing. Members of the 755thECES are representing the Air Forcesoundly as they accomplish missionsdaily from routine tasks to dangerouslycomplex tasks. The 'can do, will do,have done' attitude is strong through-out Afghanistan."

NEWSJuly 9, 2007 Freedom Watch Page 13

Continued from Page 12

Air Force Staff Sgt. Julio Morelos, 755th Expeditionary Civil EngineerSquadron engineering technician, and Abdul Abedi, Local NationalTranslator, talk with contractors about the eastern expansion project.

By Air Force Capt. Nora Eyle455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghan-istan - Most parents never knowwhat it's like for their children at adeployed location, but that is certain-ly not the case for Senior AirmanVincent Lopez, an A-10 weaponsloader, since his father and stepmoth-er are also deployed to BagramAirfield, Afghanistan.

The Lopez family is originallyfrom El Paso, Texas, and AirmanLopez's parents both work for theArmy and Air Force ExchangeService in Dallas. Tony and JuliaLopez were deploying to anotherlocation in the area of operationswhen they were redirected mid-flightto Bagram about a month ago. Lopez,who has been here since April, had noidea his parents were here until he gotan e-mail message from his fathertelling him the news, simply saying,"Hey, guess what? I'm here atBagram."

Lopez headedto the BaseExchange asquickly as possi-ble, talked to theemployees andarranged to meetup with his dad.

"To be honest,this is the lastplace I'd everthink I'd seethem," said Lopez.

Although their schedules are chal-lenging to coordinate, they meet up atleast once a week at the BX or formeals where they can catch up oneach other's experiences.

"It's a relief for my parents toknow that I'm doing ok, and it's real-

ly a unique experience for all of us,"said Lopez with a smile.

Who has the tougher assignment isup to debate, but the Lopez parents

will be here for ayear, while theirson may be heresix months. Tonyand Julie, asAAFES employ-ees, follow thesame rules as mili-tary members andalso work longhours. Tonyinsists his son hasthe more chal-

lenging assignment."He is the one that has a harder

time and that's really my job to bringanything familiar we can to these guysfrom home, and in some cases thatmay even be a family member," hesaid.

It's not that difficult for AirmanLopez because he likes working on A-10s.

"I love my job. There are not toomany jobs in the civilian world, whereyou can load bombs on aircraft," saidLopez.

The Lopez parents haven't been toDavis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz.,Airman Lopez' home station, becausethey usually meet up halfway at ElPaso, to catch up with family andfriends. So, it's ironic that they'vebeen able to visit with him here whilehe is stationed at Bagram.

"As a parent, the safety, securityand environment is always on yourmind," said Tony. "It's great that I cansee what the conditions are and Iknow his team has really taken goodcare of him."

Airman Lopez agrees, "It's great tohave family here with me; it's mademy deployment so much better."

FEATUREPage 14 Freedom Watch July 9, 2007

The family that deploys together …

“It’s a relief for my par-ents to know that I’m

doing ok, and it’s reallya unique experience for

all of us.”- Senior Airman Vincent Lopez

354th Expeditionary Aircraft MaintenanceUnit A-10 weapons loader

Photo by Air Force Staff Sgt. Craig “Chip” Seals(From left to right) Senior Airman Vincent Lopez, stepmother JuliaLopez and father Tony Lopez. Airman Lopez is an A-10 weapons loaderassigned to the 354th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Unitdeployed from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. The Lopez familyare all deployed to Bagram together.

ENTERTAINMENTJuly 9, 2007 Freedom Watch Page 15

Last Week’s Solution:

Got a joke, review or top ten list? E-mail it to:freedomwatch@swa.army.mil

and you could see them printed here!

Great moments in Great moments in reflective belt historyreflective belt history

The Confederacymight very wellhave won the

American CivilWar if Gen. T.J.

"Stonewall"Jackson had beenwearing his reflec-tive belt on that

fateful evening inMay of 1863.

Unfortunately, hewas not … andwas shot by his

own men.

Word Search Can you find the following words in the puzzle? Words may run forward, backward or diagonally.

By Senior Airman Brian Stives

American Forces Network - Afghanistan

AAFESALAMO

BAYLOUGHBLACK HORSEBOARDWALK

CAMP EGGERSCAMP VANCE

CHINOOKDARULAMAN

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KOREAN HOSPITALLAGHAM

LASH KAR GAHNATIONAL GUARD

NIGHT HAWKPHOENIX

PRT TARIN KOWTQALAA HOUSE

RESERVESRIPLEY

SALERNOSHINKAY

WOLVERINE

Word FindWords within words. How many of the 64 words, consist-ing of three letters or more, can you find in the word ...

GREEN BEAN?

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Freedom Watch Freedom Watch July 9, 2007July 9, 2007