EOD:EOD:Business isBusiness isbooming! booming!

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JJune 25,une 25, 20072007 wwwwww.cfc-a.centcom.mil.cfc-a.centcom.mil

ArmyArmy continues workingto improve warfighters'gear, equipmentWASHINGTON - Today's Soldiershave the best equipment available,and the Army keeps striving toimprove it, said the general whooversees the equipping effort.

"In the history of warfare, therehas never been a ground Soldier aswell equipped and capable as the U.S.Army is today," Brig. Gen. R. MarkBrown told Pentagon reporters dur-ing a roundtable briefing June 17.

The weapons, clothing and othergear used by warfighters today makethem "more capable, more surviv-able, more lethal and have bettercommunications than any time in his-tory," Brown said.

"Even though that's the case, wenever rest on our laurels," he said."We're always looking for somethingbetter. ... We get the state-of-the-artequipment, and then we immediatelystart looking for the latest thing."

As commander of the Army'sProgram Executive Office Soldierprogram, Brown oversees the pro-duction of everything Soldiers wearor carry. That ranges from uniformitems, protective gear and weapons tooptical equipment and communica-tions systems.

With a $1 billion annual budget forresearch and development and $4.4billion for procurement, PEOSoldier's 400 programs all worktoward a common goal. "The eternalchallenge in PEO Soldier is to bal-

ance size, weight and power con-sumption with Soldier capabilities,"Brown said.

Air ForceChanges in works for AirForce PT uniformWASHINGTON - The Air Forceuniform board is working to resolveAirmen's issues with the Air Forcephysical training uniform, whichbecame mandatory for wear in fall2006.

One of the biggest issues is thelining in the shorts. Many Airmenfeel the lining is too tight, so they arebuying shorts two to three sizes larg-er than their usual size. The Air ForceClothing Office at Wright-PattersonAir Force Base, Ohio, is modifyingthe lining to resolve this problem.

Another issue Airmen addressedwas the weight of the PT runningsuit. The suits are currently made ofa light-weight material coated with awind and rain resistant finish whichadds extra weight. The clothingoffice is researching alternative fab-rics that would retain those weather-resistant qualities, yet reduce theweight. The office is also looking intoa lighter weight fabric for the short-sleeve T-shirt.

In addition to these changes, theboard has decided to introduce otheroptional PT uniform items within ayear.

One of those items is shortsgeared for long-distance runners.They are currently looking into run-ning shorts with a split halfway upthe leg. It would be produced in alightweight fabric with anti-odor,moisture-wicking and stretch incor-porated into the lining and outershell.

They also plan to introduce a long-sleeve T-shirt, medium-weight sweat-shirt and fleece vest with a zipper.

NavyNavy moves to make IAassignments part ofdetailing processMILLINGTON, Tenn. - With theimplementation of NAVADMIN147/07 released June 7 removingSailors from their current dutyassignment to fill individual aug-mentee orders will gradually becomethe exception as the Navy moves tomake most Global War on Terrorismsupport tours part of the normaldetailing process.

"Bringing our support of theGWOT into the mainstream of ourdetailing processes is the right thingto do for our Sailors and their fami-lies," said Adm. John C. Harvey, chiefof naval personnel.

Phase One began in June for offi-cers and will begin in August forenlisted Sailors. During this time-frame, Navy Personnel Commandwill start to bring about 1,200 JointManning Document driven GWOTbillets into the normal detailingprocess as they become openbetween September and December2008. These billets account for aboutone-third of all the active duty IArequirements that exist today.

Phase Two will continue thisprocess, adding additional billets tomake a total of about 80 percent ofthe IA requirements. Phase Threewill add the emergent fill billets intothe process, which currently consistof about 20 percent of the IArequirements.

Under these plans, Sailors wouldvolunteer for an IA assignment attheir Projected Rotation Date andPCS to either San Diego or Norfolk,Va., where they will be attached tothe Expeditionary Combat ReadinessCenter while they carry out their tem-porary duty GWOT support assign-ment.

DEFENSE DIGESTPage 2 Freedom Watch June 25, 2007

ContentsPAGE 2

Defense DigestPAGE 4Aircrew Survival Equipment Sailors help keep Prowlersscreaming over AfghanistanPAGE 5Bagram members complete Rock ‘n’ Roll MarathonPAGE 6EOD ensures stockpiled munitions go out with bangPAGE 7Engineers conduct officer professional development PAGE 8-9

Hawgs’ big guns rule Afghan skiesPAGE 10‘Lady Luck’ goes in for routine maintenancePAGE 11Freedom FocusPAGE 12Organization brings home to deployed servicemembersPAGE 13Preparations underway for Ghazni agriculture fairPAGE 14Tornadoes keep watch over AfghanistanPAGE 15Entertainment Page

Freedom Watch Page 3June 25, 2007

COVERThe 755th Expeditionary Explosive Ordnance Disposal

detonation team disposes of more than 1,000 pounds ofstored munitions, mines and weapons caches. The con-trolled detonation was conducted outside of BagramAirfield, Afghanistan, June 13. (Photo by Air Force StaffSgt. Craig Seals)

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.

1100

Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Krishna M. GambleSpc. Matt Vanleeuwen, Chinook mechanic with Company D, 3-82nd General Support Aviation Battalion, 82nd Combat AviationBrigade, removes the vertical hinges from the blades of a Ch-47Chinook.

77

Photo by Army 1st Lt. Kenya V. SaenzArmy Lt. Col. Mark Deschenes describes the significance of thefirst Afghan-Anglo war at Bala Hissar.

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

NEWSPage 4 Freedom Watch June 25, 2007

Story and photoBy Navy Chief Petty OfficerEric Harrison43rd Joint Logistics Command Public Affairs

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghan-istan - Two Sailors stationed with theElectronic Attack Squadron 134"Garudas" here act as a lifeline to theaviators who patrol the skies overAfghanistan every day.

Aircrew Survival Equipmentman3rd Class Justin McColl and AircrewSurvival Equipmentman AirmanCheyne Kehoe maintain and issue thegear that takes care of the aviators inthe air and, potentially, everything theywould need to survive on the ground.

According to Navy Chief AviationMachinist's Mate David Quant,Aircraft Division chief, there is a heav-ily combined effort to make sure theEA-6B Prowler's systems are opera-tional, and the job that the survivalequipmentmen perform is paramountfor the aviators' safety.

"There would be a loss of aircrew,"said the Los Angeles native, "withoutthese guys doing their job right."

Garuda aircrews have amassedabout 1,700 operational flight hourssince arriving at Bagram in January.According to Aircraft Division OfficerNavy Lt. David Elias, they wouldn't beable to perform their mission withoutthe attention to detail of the survivalequipmentmen.

"It's like the ultimate insurance pol-icy to know if you need the equipmentwhen you're on the ground and in anew environment, to know that yourequipment is going to be there andworking for you."

The primary mission of the EA-6BProwler is suppression of enemy airdefenses in support of strike aircraft

and ground troops by interruptingenemy electronic activity and obtainingtactical electronic intelligence withinthe combat area. Being able to performthat mission with the knowledge thatthe equipment is there for him if heneeds it is not lost on Elias.

"Knowing that the gear is 100 per-cent ready to go lets us be able to takethat aircraft up and know if we need it,it's going to work."

McColl echoed Elias's faith in thejob they do.

"It's hair-raising knowing that youcould be the last person who deals withthe aircrew's gear in an unfortunate

accident that he does have to eject,"said the Eugene, Ore., native. "I would-n't let these guys step out the door withanything that I wouldn't wear myself."

Elias, a Phoenix native, went on tosay that the Garudas' mission inAfghanistan is very gratifying for theaircrews.

"We're directly supporting the guyson the ground, and you can't put aprice tag on what it's like to go up andsupport those types of missions."

The Garudas are based at Naval AirStation Whidbey Island, Wash., and arescheduled to be replaced by the VAQ-133 "Wizards."

Aircrew Survival Equipment Sailors helpkeep Prowlers screaming over Afghanistan

Aircrew Survival Equipmentman Airman Cheyne Kehoe, a member ofthe Electronic Attack Squadron 134 "Garudas", makes adjustments toan aircrew vest in the parachute rigger shop at Bagram Airfield,Afghanistan.

By Navy Chief Petty OfficerEric Harrison43rd Joint Logistics Command Public Affairs

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghan-istan - Thirty-seven men and womenstationed here, competed in a satelliteedition of the 10th annual San DiegoRock 'n' Roll Marathon June 15.

The marathoners braved gruelingconditions on the course, includinghigh winds, hot temperatures, rockysurfaces, high altitude and being in awar zone to finish the 26.2-mile course.

According to event organizer NavyChief Hospital Corpsman EduardoMedina, a lot of work went into mak-ing this event happen, albeit a bit late.

"The race was supposed to be runJune 3, to coincide with the marathonin San Diego," said Medina. "Butbecause of operational commitmentson the base, it had to be postponednearly two weeks."

Medina signed up for the Rock 'n'Roll Marathon back in San Diego as away to celebrate his 40th birthday, butfound himself with orders toAfghanistan. When he looked into thepossibility of getting his entry fee back,the organizers suggested that he set upthe satellite event here.

"The organizers in San Diego werevery accommodating," said Medina,medical operations chief at the 43rdJoint Logistics Command. "They sentus race bibs with 'BAF Afghanistan'printed on them, sent T-shirts for allthe participants and they waived therace fee for all the competitors here."

Army Lt. Col. Neil Hersey finishedin first place and, having completed hissixth marathon, thanked Medina forputting on such a great event.

"It is no small feat to organize andexecute an event like this, particularlyin this environment, and he did a fan-

tastic job," said Hersey, who is the 1stMilitary Intelligence Battalion com-mander on Bagram.

Hersey, who came in at 3:05:52, saidthat he has to make time around thedemanding operational tempo at TaskForce Condor to train.

"Exercise is an important part ofmy life; it is how I manage stress, andstay fit to fight," said Hersey. "But I didnot find an opportunity to fit in a runlonger than 10-12 miles prior to doingthis marathon. I had to rely on my basefitness and experience from otherdemanding training that I had beenthrough."

John Herrick, a forensic photogra-pher at the Combined ExplosiveOrdnance Command on Bagram,competed in his third marathon andsaid that this one takes the cake as themost challenging.

The altitude made the run verytough; my lungs got quite a workout,said the Twin Cities Marathon andMarine Corps Marathon veteran. "Outof all three, I trained the least for thisone, which reflected in my time. Theenvironment made this hard enough,but the lack of training at this altitude isreally what made this the most difficult."

Out of Hersey's six marathons, he

counts the Big Sur and the Blue Angelsmarathons (held in Big Sur, Calif., andNaval Station Pensacola, Fla., respec-tively) as the most memorable.

"Big Sur was my first marathon, in1989, and was a particularly challeng-ing, very hilly, yet breathtaking course.The Blue Angel Marathon was memo-rable because it was a personal best forme, and I had my father for companyalong most of the course offering memoral support. I ended up finishing3rd overall in 2:35."

Training on Bagram Airfield can bea challenge, with temperatures routine-ly rising into the mid- to upper-90sduring the day, but Herrick was able todig deep to make it to the finish line in6:38:07 with the help of two friendswho came out to support.

"Even though the heat caught up tome in the last 'lap,' I wanted to finish,and was determined to do so. Havingtwo good friends there to help me inthe last stretch was just icing on thecake."

Hersey echoed Herrick's apprecia-tion for those who came out to helpsupport the runners.

"Without the support of the volun-teers, these events would not be possi-ble."

NEWSJune 25, 2007 Freedom Watch Page 5

Bagram members complete Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon

Bagram Rock ‘n’ Roll MarathonTop 5 men

Neil Hersey - 3:05:52Timothy Noonan - 3:16:42Bryan Williams - 3:28:10Eric Wenner - 3:49:36

Timothy Samuels - 3:56:00

Top 5 women:Heidi Smith - 3:55:00

Jacqueline Barrios - 4:43:50Amy Becker - 4:55:56

Grace Rosario - 5:28:22Jill Spohn - 5:32:02

NEWSPage 6 Freedom Watch June 25, 2007

Story and photoBy Air Force Staff Sgt. Craig Seals455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghan-istan - What do you think happens toall the unserviceable munitions,weapons caches, unexploded ord-nance, mortars, mines and other itemsthat Explosive Ordnance Disposalacquires? They blow it up.

In order to do that, EOD must takeeverything they've stockpiled to a safelocation for the detonation. Here inAfghanistan, that requires the help ofAir Force Security Forces.

"We rely heavily on security forcesto provide the necessary protectionanytime we travel to and from the det-onation ranges," said Tech. Sgt.William Baird, 755th ExpeditionaryExplosive Ordnance Disposal teamleader.

EOD coordinates with SecurityForces on a time and place for thecontrolled detonation and this intera-gency coordination is vital to the suc-cess of the mission. It's understoodwhile going out to the range, SecurityForces is in control of the convoy andthe EOD Airmen in the Joint EODRapid Response Vehicle respond totheir actions and commands.

"The JERRV is an EOD platformthat provides us the ability to carry thenecessary equipment, maximumarmor and greatest survivability in thefield," Baird said.

Once on site and off road, theJERRV with an EOD driver takes thelead. As soon as the JERRV stops, thehigh mobility multi-purpose wheeledvehicle arches out into 360 degreesecurity and Security Forces Airmentake their positions to allow EOD per-sonnel to do their job. Communicationbetween the EOD team is critical.

Each person has a task: unloading

the weapons from the trailer, talking tothe demolition experts to find outwhere they will run the detonationcord, laying out the C-4 explosivessafely, all while they are working withthe security element to ensure there isno threat of attack.

"C-4 is inert without the detonationcord, blast caps and radio-controlledsignal required to detonate. It's thesafest and most effective explosive wehave," said Air Force Staff Sgt. RickPalmar, 755th EOD assistant teamleader.

After they give the all clear, all vehi-cles remove themselves to a safe dis-tance while maintaining their securityaround the lead vehicles. A detonationwarning is sent to the base to ensureeveryone on Bagram Airfield knows toexpect the blast.

"We radio in to airfield manage-ment 30 minutes out in order to give

them time to clear the airfield of anyin-flight aircraft," said Baird. "Then wegive them another call 15 minutes outto let them know we are still good togo. Once a window for detonation hasbeen assigned, we have five minutes tocomplete the detonation."

Once the detonation keys are fired,the sky is lit up with explosives and theday's hard work results in multipleexplosions that are seen at a safe dis-tance by everyone who made it possi-ble.

"These detonations are just a smallpart of what we do. We do a lot ofstuff people don't see," said Palmar."We travel around and collect muni-tions that have been found or turnedin; we check out suspected improvisedexplosive devices and conduct post-blast investigations. These weekly det-onations are just a small part of the bigpicture."

EOD ensures stockpiled munitions go out with bang

Air Force Staff Sgt. Rick Palmar, 755th Expeditionary ExplosiveOrdnance Disposal assistant team lead, carefully places C-4 explosiveson top of more than 1,000 pounds of stored munitions, mines andweapons caches for a controlled detonation outside of Bagram Airfield,Afghanistan, June 13.

Story and photoBy Army 1st Lt.Kenya V. SaenzTask Force Pacemaker Public Affairs Office

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan- Combat Engineer officers conducteda professional development exercise toenhance their knowledge ofAfghanistan's and the U.S. ArmyCorps of Engineer's histories.

The Fort Lewis, Wash., based 864thEngineers got a chance to see some ofthe current Afghan Engineer Districtprojects, as well as the overall missionof the Corps of Engineers.

"Our mission is to conduct con-struction and engineering operationsin Afghanistan to facilitate the estab-lishment of a secure and stable envi-ronment, while promoting reconstitu-tion and infrastructure development,"said Army Col. William E. Bulen,commander, U.S. Army Corps ofEngineers Afghanistan EngineerDistrict, in his briefing to the officers.

The officers went to Kabul to studyand reflect on the first Afghan-Anglowar during the 1840s. Army Lt. Col.Mark Deschenes, commander of TaskForce Pacemaker, analyzed the battlein Bala Hissar, which according toWikipedia was the site of some of thebloodiest fighting between Afghan andBritish forces, demonstrating its signif-icance to Afghanistan and its relativeparallels to today's struggle. ThePacemakers also visited the Bala Hissar

site to further analyze the fortress'structural engineering and the eventsof the war.

"Taking into consideration thelength of deployments today, wespend more time deployed than athome station," said Deschenes. "It iscritical to execute officer professionaldevelopment; it's an opportunity togrow as leaders and to empower sub-ordinates as they step up and takecharge."

NEWSJune 25, 2007

Where is the market?DariMarket dar koja ast?(Mar-ket dar ko-ja ast?)

PashtuMarket chairta dae?(Mar-ket char-ta day?)

Afghanistan has never been inhabited by only one ethnic group. The modern country’s boundarieswere determined by the interests of foreign powers, and on every side they cut through land tradi-tionally occupied by one ethnic group or another.

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

Courtesy photo

Freedom Watch Page 7

Engineers conduct officer professionaldevelopment in theater operations

Kristi L. Acuff, quality control engineer for the Afghan EngineerDistrtict, briefs about the quality assurance of a project from U.S. ArmyCorps of Engineers.

Page 8 Freedom Watch FEATURE

By Tech. Sgt. James FisherInternational Security AssistanceForce Public Information Office

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan- More bad news for the Taliban: A-10Thunderbolts are again looking downon them. The aircraft, crews and main-tainers are world-renowned for theirkeen ability to conduct close air sup-port. They deployed to Bagram fromDavis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz.,in early April.

The 354th Fighter Squadron, is inAfghanistan to provide the same fire-power unleashed in previous deploy-ments since Operation EnduringFreedom begin nearly six years ago.

As Coalition and NATO forces workto close the final chapter in riddingAfghanistan of Taliban extremists, A-10 firepower is a vital tool in makingthe country safe for reconstruction anddevelopment.

"They brought us back because ofour 30-millimeter capability. It's an air-

to-ground-gun," said Air Force Lt. Col.Kevin Anderson, 354th ExpeditionaryFighter Squadron commander. "Thereare other aircraft out there that performclose air support, but our weaponrymakes us particularly effective."

The 30-mm gatling gun that frontsthe A-10's nose as it moves into thebattle space provides longer range,greater accuracy, and comes with fourto five times more rounds than otherweapon systems, the commanderexplained.

"It provides a tighter grouping,"Anderson said. "I could shoot it from amile or two away and still hit a verysmall footprint." The A-10s can alsoperform combat search and rescue andforward air control functions if neces-sary.

"We're pretty efficient and we canstay [in the battlespace] longer, and wecarry a lot of different weapons,"Anderson said.

One of the men charged with bring-ing those weapons to bear againstenemy fighters is Air Force Capt.Douglas Witmer. The Thunderbolt

pilot is engaged in his first combatdeployment. He said flying close airsupport in Afghanistan is a combina-tion of deep fulfillment and responsi-bility.

"It's an incredible feeling supportingthe guys on the ground, and it's a lot ofresponsibility with as many friendly

Photos by Dutch Navy Sgt. Ruud MolAn A-10 Thunderbolt from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., takes off for a mission out of Bagram Airfield. Theunit is in Afghanistan to provide the same firepower they have been unleashing in previous deployments sinceOperation Enduring Freedom began nearly six years ago.

Hawgs' big guns rule Afghan skies

Senior Airman Bennie Gatlinhelps Air Force Capt. DouglasWitmer get situated in the cock-pit of their A-10 Thunderboltprior to a mission.

forces as we have out there. The lastthing an A-10 or any CAS pilot wantsto do is harm friendly forces - this issomething we've been taught from theearliest stages of training," Witmer said.

Training has made the introductionto combat smoother for Witmer, whocredited the training programs andexperienced team at D-M for his quickadjustment.

"As a young guy, I had a little appre-hension about flying my first combatsorties," Witmer said. "But in the bulkof it all, we've been prepared so wellthat flying here doesn't feel too muchdifferent than at home."

One enjoyable new experience hasbeen the opportunity to work with andsupport international forces, Witmersaid.

"We don't get to do a lot of thatback home. It's really great to check-inwith the [air controller] on the groundand be talking to a British guy or com-municating with Dutch F-16s, orFrench forces," the captain said.

Before joining the multi-nationalforces in defeating the Taliban, Witmerand nearly 200 colleagues set up shopat Bagram in a matter of days.Operational flying began within 48hours of the A-10s arriving inAfghanistan.

According to Anderson, the onlychallenges have been those associatedwith any deployment, like getting thetroops used to 24-hour operations.

"We really haven't had a lot of diffi-culty," the commander said. "Wearrived and were flying a full schedulewithin two days and really haven'tmissed a beat since."

The perspective is the same from thesquadron's maintainers, according toAir Force Master Sgt. Paul Delano, thelead production superintendent for the455th Expeditionary MaintenanceSquadron.

"Within 48 hours, we flew our firsteffective combat sortie and we met theadversary, and without going into toomuch detail, they know we're here,"Delano said.

"Whenever you go somewhere, youhave to adapt to your surroundings, getcomfortable with one another andbond," Delano said. "You realize youdon't have the family support withinarm's reach, so we've become brothersin arms."

Generating multiple sorties each dayto support operations on the groundmeans a complex scheme of opera-tional and maintenance activity mustmesh to launch fully-mission capableaircraft on time," Delano explained.

"Right now we're hitting our stride,coming together as a team, and we justseem to be hitting everything right oncue," the master sergeant said.

Along with Witmer, Delano creditedthe training team back on Davis-Monthan, saying their experience basefrom senior NCOs and seasoned train-ers is missed.

"Here, we have to rely on each otherfor that experience base," Delano said.

A-10 Crew Chief and first-timedeployer Airman 1st Class RobertMcDonough said training from backhome is paying off in the way he'sresponded to combat operations.

"It feels awesome, and you knowyou are actually doing your job, and allthe training back home is paying off. Ifeel like I'm changing the world,"

McDonough said. "In Arizona, we arealways training for chemical warfare allthe time, and with the Arizona weather,it really got us ready for this."

The airman said that generating air-craft to fly in Tucson, Ariz., was notmuch different than in Afghanistan -the humidity and altitude are both high-er here. The heat and long hours havebeen the most challenging factors sofar. Still, he's grateful for the experienceand the chance to make a difference.

"I was happy to find out that theAfghan people here are thankful thatwe're here, and I'm glad that we'rehelping them."

While the enemy may only see thebusiness end of the 30 millimeter gun,Delano said there's a lot of hard work,passion and pride behind putting thatgun over the battle.

"To be put in a position where[operations are] real and somebody'slife depends on every action we take -all of our experience, drive, motivationand pride in our fleet or to be able toput that plane in the air and put bombson target and save our troops' lives onthe ground and push the enemy furtherinto their holes - it's beyond words.We're elated. This is what we are herefor, this is what we do. We're proud,simply put."

June 25, 2007 Page 9

Air Force Capt. Douglas Witmer gets the go-ahead to taxi off to the run-way from crew chief Senior Airman Bennie Gatlin prior to a mission.

Story and photoBy Sgt. 1st Class Krishna M. GambleTask Force Pegasus Public Affairs

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghan-istan - Just like you take your vehiclein every 3,000 miles for an oil change,tune-up and tire rotation, a military air-craft also needs regularly scheduledmaintenance to keep its performanceat its peak.

For the CH-47 Chinook, mainte-nance is done approximately every 25,50, and 100 flight hours. That's whyArmy Staff Sgt. Timothy McCauley,crew chief, Company B, 3-82nd

General Support Aviation Battalion,82nd Combat Aviation Brigade, madesure 'Lady Luck' was in on time for herappointment with the 'Raiders'.

"It's her scheduled maintenancetime and to keep her in order, certainthings need to be replaced. [Repairing]cracks or small faults are what [theRaiders] are good at," McCauley said.

"Over time, things can come loosebecause of the vibrations and hard-ware wears out that has to be replaced,so the aircraft is brought in, torn apart,repaired and put back together," saidSgt. 1st Class Donald Hamilton, main-tenance platoon sergeant, Company D,3-82nd GSAB, also known as theRaiders.

"We tear the aircraftapart - [remove] theblades, engines and dropthe transmission if nec-essary. When it's all done,the technical inspectors,sheet metal [repairers]and avionics come in anddo their part," said ArmySgt. Jeffery Sherwood,Chinook mechanic,Company D, 3-82ndGSAB. "It entails a lot ofcross work from othersections."

The Chinook mainte-nance inspection process,or aircraft phasing, isabout a 21-day processthat includes the removalof aircraft blades, drain-ing of all fluids, lubrica-tion, brake disc assemblyreplacement, enginechecks, aircraft partreplacement and repair,and a good washing.Soldiers work around theclock when an aircraftcomes in for inspectionto ensure it is ready toreturn to the fleet as soon

as possible. At any given time, up toseven CH-47's may be in variousstages of phasing throughout thebrigade.

"We check the entire aircraft,including the battery for serviceabilityand corrosion about every 90-180days," said Army Sgt. Eric Reed, quali-ty control NCO, Co. D, 3-82nd GSAB."We check for cracks in the wheelhousing, air frame structure, fuel lines,windows … a crack in the right spoton the wrong part can cause a loss ofaircraft."

The CH-47 Chinook is a versatile,twin-engine, tandem rotor heavy-lifthelicopter, whose primary rolesinclude troop movement, artilleryemplacement and battlefield re-supply.Referred to as the workhorse ofAfghanistan, every Chinook getsinspected twice a day and goesthrough major maintenance inspectionevery 100, 200 and 400 hours respec-tively.

"Our mission capability is the sameno matter where we are, but environ-mental factors and the stress we puton the airframe drives the inspectionand maintenance requirements," Reedsaid.

All the long hours and hard workput into getting the airframe ready forservice pay off for the Soldiersinvolved as well as the customers whobenefit from the Chinook's capabili-ties.

"Seeing [the aircraft] fly and know-ing the pilots and crew are safe and Ihad a role in it is very exciting," saidSpc. David Vaughn, Chinook mechan-ic, Co. D, 3-82nd GSAB.

"You take more pride in it after youput the work into it and then see it fly-ing knowing you had a helping hand init," McCauley said.

"The Chinook is the Cadillac of thefleet … it's a beast," Hamilton said."And we are the copter doctors thatkeep 'them healthy.'"

Army Sgt. Eric Reed, quality control NCO,Company D, 3-82nd General Aviation SupportBattalion, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade,checks the control levers on an interior panelfor proper fitting of a CH47 -Chinook.

June 25, 2007Page 10 Freedom Watch NEWS

'Lady Luck' goes in for routine maintenance

Navy Petty Officer 3rd ClassNathan Little

Unit and occupation: Aviation structuralmechanic with Electronic Attack Squadron 134,the "Garudas" Time in the military: Four years in SeptemberHome Station: Naval Air Station WhidbeyIsland, Wash.Hometown: Rosebud, TexasWhat service do you provide on BagramAirfield? I work on hydraulic systems, flightcontrol systems, landing gear systems and metalfabrication.Most memorable moment in Afghanistan: Going to theToby Keith concert.What do you miss most about home? I miss the freedomof being back home.

Hobbies: I like to fish, hunt, play cards and dominoes, andride horses.The first thing that you're going to do when you getback: Spend time with my wife.Interesting personal fact: I'm terrified of camel spiders.

June 25, 2007 Freedom Watch Page 11FREEDOM FOCUS

If you have high-quality photosof servicemembers supportingthe Coalition mission or enjoy-ing well-deserved off-duty time,please e-mail them to free-domwatch@swa.army.mil.Please include full identifica-tion and caption information,including who is in the photoand what action is taking place.

Courtesy photos

PHOTOS FROM THE FIELDPHOTOS FROM THE FIELD(Top left) Afghan village elders assistAfghan National Police members in remov-ing a large munitions cache from a hiddencave at an IED facilitator's compound in thevillage of Sultak located in Chamkani dis-trict of Paktya province on June 10.(Bottom left) Afghan elders from the villageof Sultak provided information to AfghanNational Police members that led to therecovery of a large munitions cache con-sisting of RPG launchers, and rifles, hiddenunder an animal pen at an IED facilitator'scompound located in the Chamkani districtof Paktya province on June 10.

Photo by Chief Petty Officer Eric Harrison

NEWS

Story and photoBy Army Sgt. Matthew Clifton22nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

FORWARD OPERATING BASESALERNO, Afghanistan - A large linecould be seen extending from the chowhall as the aroma of steak floated acrossthe base June 13.

Soldiers on FOB Salerno were treatedto a little taste of home when FeedingFreedom 5 brought the down under-tasteof Outback Steakhouse to the base din-ing facility.

Feeding Freedom is the name given tothe program which brings food fromOutback Steakhouse to servicemembersdeployed overseas.

Thanks to numerous donations andvolunteers from the U.S., the troops atSalerno enjoyed a vast menu including,but not limited to Ribeye steaks, calamari,vegetable ravioli, chocolate and carrotcake and the signature Outback dish - theBloomin' Onion.

"It makes me feel real special to havethese guys come over here and risk theirown safety just to bring us somethinggood to eat," said Spc. Sharice Lidell, awater purification specialist for the 782ndBrigade Support Battalion, 4th BrigadeCombat Team, 82 Airborne Division. "Ilove steak and it really shows a lot abouttheir character that they come here."

So far Feeding Freedom 5 has been toKuwait and is headed to Al Asad, Iraq. Areoccurring sentiment wherever the peo-ple of Feeding Freedom go is gratitude.They are very thankful for what service-members are doing, but this sentiment is

reciprocated by the enormous apprecia-tion the Soldiers have for the volunteers.

"This is just our way of saying thankyou to the troops," said Lisa Ross, aregional service technician with Outback."We are only here for a couple weeks, butthese guys are here for a year."

Most of the volunteers with FeedingFreedom are owners and operators ofOutback Steak Houses and Carrabba'sItalian Grills.

The volunteers of Feeding Freedomworked diligently throughout the mealmaking sure every table had a freshBloomin' Onion, clearing the emptyplates for the troops and having friendlyconversations with the Soldiers.

"Its such a reality check," saidMandi Cannon, a volunteer andregional service technician forCarrabba's. "Not a lot of people know

exactly what goes on over here."Cannon alluded to a mission she saw

where water was being loaded in an air-craft to be dropped to people in the field.

"It shows me just how rough some ofthese guys have it over here," she said."And that's why I volunteered; strictly tosay 'thank you.'"

During the dinner, the atmosphere ofthe dining facility was palpable. Laughtercould be heard mixed with complimentson the excellence of the food, and every-where there were the volunteers chattingwith the Soldiers.

"Everybody is so excited we are here,"Cannon said. "When we were in Kuwait,I'll always remember what one of theguys said to me.

"He said, 'Today's chow tastes likefreedom.' That is something I will neverforget."

Page 12 Freedom Watch June 25, 2007

Organization brings home to deployed servicemembers

Mark Moses, owner of Carrabba's Italian Grill in Fayetteville, N.C.,cooks steaks for Soldiers June 13 at Forward Operating Base Salerno,Afghanistan.

Story and photoBy Army Sgt. James WiltCombined Joint Task Force-82 Public Affairs

KHOGA OMARI DISTRICT,Afghanistan - "You can't get anexcavator across that bridge," saidArmy Lt. Col. Larry Orchard, a proj-ect manager with the GhazniProvisional Reconstruction Team,joked.

The bridge, which is nothing morethan three logs with sticks acrossthem would have to be replaced withsomething a little sturdier. It will also

have to be replaced by September.In September, an agricultural fair

will be held at a government ownedfarm in Khoga Omari district for thepeople of Ghazni and surroundingprovinces.

The GhazniAgricultural airec-tor, a U.S.Department ofAgriculture repre-sentative andmembers of theGhazni PRT and351st Civil AffairsBattalion met hereJune 12 to discussthe upcoming fair,survey the siteand begin prepa-rations for theevent.

Education will be the primaryfocus of the fair but the event willalso host other activities for the par-ticipants.

"A big part is the teaching part,"said Tom Stefani, the representativefor the USDA in Ghazni. "We don'twant to forget that."

Training, such as how to use fertil-izer and how to graft trees, will beavailable for farmers, said SultanHusain, the director of agriculturefor Ghazni province.

Classes will also be held for thewomen in the area, Stefani said.

Junglebagh, the name of the farmwhere the event will be held, hasalready implemented women's agri-cultural education, Husain said. Theyhave women tending gardens, work-ing with chickens and training in api-aries.

Husain also hopes to have classeson creating products like embroider-ing for the women. The team planson having product demonstrations toeducate the farmers. One exhibit, apotato storage bin, is in the planningstage for the event.

By having one at the fair, "peoplecan see what it is," said Stefani.

Both Stefani and Husain have theirown plans drawn up for the bin.During their next meeting, the two

plan on compar-ing notes.

"I would like tolook at [Husain's]design and seehow the two com-pare," Stefanisaid.

Like any agri-cultural fair in theU.S., the coordi-nators are plan-ning for a live-stock and gardenshow at the event,as well as otherfarm-based com-

petitions.Prizes are planned for the winners

of the events."We want to give them something

they can use," said Army Sgt. Maj.Dennis Kretzschmar, the PRT ser-geant major.

The prizes given out will be itemsthat can be used on the farm.

Over the next several months, thecombined Afghan and U.S. coordina-tion team will continue to refine theplans for the event. The site where itwill be held is a large tree farm withacreage dedicated to other crops.

In the past three years, with sup-port from the PRT, approximately20,000 trees have been planted on thefarm, which has created jobs for localresidents including 10 full-time jobs,Husain said.

By planting trees, Husain said thefarm is helping the environment, con-trolling flooding and soil erosion, andkeeping the population of Ghaznihealthier.

He hopes to expand the projectthroughout the province once securi-ty improves in other districts.

NEWSJune 25, 2007 Freedom Watch Page 13

Preparations underway for Ghazni agriculture fair

Tom Stefani, a representative forthe USDA in Ghazni (left,) Shirzai,a member of USAID (center,) andSultan Husain, the director of agri-culture for Ghazni province (right,)survey saplings on the JunglebaghFarm in the Khoga Omari district ofGhazni province, Afghanistan,June 12. In the past three yearsapproximately 20,000 trees havebeen planted on the farm.

“In the past three years,with support from thePRT, approximately

20,000 trees have beenplanted on the farm,

which has created jobsfor local residents

including 10 full-timejobs.”

- Sultan HusainDirector of agriculture for Ghazni province

By Tech. Sgt. James FisherInternational Security AssistanceForce Public Information Office

KABUL, Afghanistan - They cansee everything from the skies overAfghanistan, even if it's not thereanymore. And the images they pro-vide to commanders leading theInternational Security AssistanceForce guarantees an unparalledadvantage on the ground.

The German Tornadoes deployedfrom Reconnaissance Squadron 51"Immelmann" have had more than amonth of flying over Afghanistanand are providing Kabul with anothertool to reach ISAF's ultimate objec-tives according to deployed unit com-mander, German Col. ThorstenPoschwatta.

"From a reconnaissance stand-point, we are contributing to a betterpicture and better intelligence situa-tion," Poschwatta said, explaining thathis troops are very motivated towardthis end. "This means we contributeto the stability and security not onlyfor ISAF troops, but for the people ofAfghanistan."

The aircraft, flying out of CampMarmal near Mazar-E Sharif inRegional Command-North, haveunique reconnaissance capabilitiesand experience, the commanderexplained. The troops from Jagel areusing a three-camera recon pod capa-ble of long-range, peripheral andinfrared imagery.

"Our main task is reconnaissance,while many other aircraft performthis as a secondary task," Poschwattasaid. "For us the advantage is that weare only doing reconnaissance, andmy people are very well-trained forthis task. Not only the crews andmaintenance, but also the peopledoing the analysis and assessment

afterward. We have many peoplewho've been doing this for 10 to 20years and nothing else."

One such specialist is GermanSenior Master Sgt. Andreas. The firstline maintenance NCO has beenworking on the aircraft for 18 years.He said not only do the members ofthe unit have a wealth of experience;they have also been working togetheras a unit for a long period of time.

"The cooperation is very goodhere. It's a team and everybody hasknown each other for many years inGermany," Andreas said. "The bigadvantage is that we have a teamsolidly formed."

The maintainer emphasized thatbecause of this combined experience,conducting their mission, whether intraining or operational status, is rou-tine. The unit's motivation has alsobeen elevated since a NATO inspec-tion in November, Andreas said.

"I am trained and I know what todo," Andreas said. "It makes no dif-ference whether we are working onthe aircraft here, in Germany, or inexercises in the U.S. We are here tomake sure the planes can fly and sup-port the pilots so they can providepictures to NATO/ISAF. The feeling

is pretty good."Exercises in the U.S., along with

extended training at Holloman AirForce Base in New Mexico, havegiven the unit another advantage,since they've trained in similar desertenvironments.

"They are very motivated andencouraged here despite the fact thatwe have hot temperatures here,"Poschwatta said. "This is nearly thesame environment that we are used tosince most of our people were trainedat Holloman, flying hot weather."

The unit has also been bolstered bythe preparatory work done by theinfrastructure engineers at Marmal inthe months before they arrived. Afterthe German parliament agreed tohonor NATO's request for reconnais-sance assets, the base began gettingready in earnest. New hangars, rampspace and facilities were built andupgraded.

"It was good work over the pastthree to four months," Poschwattasaid from his office at the camp. "Ifyou look outside right now at thehangars, the apron, and the infra-structure that was developed veryquickly - they really did a tremendousjob."

BROTHERS IN ARMSPage 14 Freedom Watch June 25, 2007

Tornadoes keep watch over Afghanistan

Photo by Dutch Navy Sgt. Ruud MolFirst line maintainer German Senior Master Sgt. Andreas unloadsammunition from a Tornado after a mission. The surveillance aircraftcarry the rounds for defensive purposes only.

ENTERTAINMENTJune 25, 2007 Freedom Watch Page 15

Last Week’s Solutions:

Word Search

Got a joke,review or

top ten list?E-mail it to:

free-domwatch

@swa.army.mil

and youcould seethem print-ed here!

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

By Senior Airman Brian Stives

AmericanForces Network - Afghanistan

A 10Air Expeditionary Wing

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CJTF 82Combat Zone

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Craig HospitalDeployment

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Word FindWords within words. How many of the 91 words, consist-ing of four letters or more, can you find in the word ...

AFGHANISTAN?

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Freedom Watch Freedom Watch June 25, 2007June 25, 2007