Inspired!

I just had another dinner with the big guys. 20+ Chiefs from BAF had dinner with our new 455th AEW Commander, Col Kwast. Col Kwast replaced General Holmes earlier this week (you can see the details and some of my Airmen on the public Bagram website). Col Kwast has only been here a few days and thought his FIRST group dinner should be with all of us - the Chief Master Sergeants on BAF. What a guy!

He is a tough guy - and I really like him. I liked Gen Holmes too. Col Kwast is a guy who shares a lot of the same concerns about what's going on here as I and many of my fellow Chief's. While it may seem to many we are here for just a short time - and we are - it's important to realize why we are here. Many forget. We are at war and this is what we signed up to do - I volunteered more than 26 years ago. I am happy to be here serving the people of America and the Airmen under me that I am responsible for. I signed up for this and I'm going to make the most out of it. Our mission is to Fly, Fight and Win - and I am doing all I can to make that happen - and I'm happy to do it! I'm not counting the days, I'm making the days count!

It's challenging at times - yes. I want you all to know how proud I am to be here - and especially to be part of this group of men and women who are working every single day to win the hearts and minds of the Afghani people. That's exactly what I told Col Kwast when it was my turn to introduce myself and tell our story. Some of the other Chief's took the opportunity to make Col Kwast aware of some of the obstacles they face - and rightly so. I and some of the other Chief's recognized why we are here and told him how happy we are to be here serving our Airmen. You may have noticed in some of the pictures that I posted the LN's (local nationals) who are working alongside our Airmen. There are more that 20 LN's that we work with every single day. We are teaching them the labor skills to be productive members in their own society. We are helping them by not only teaching them civil engineering skills (such as carpentry, plumbing, HVAC, structural work, electrical and more) we are also teaching them English and computer skills when necessary. This is truly a win/win situation because while we teach them, they help us by working and completing projects as a force multiplier. We get more work accomplished in faster time than working without them, they benefit greatly (they are paid) and we offer them the opportunity to be self sustained - PLUS - they go out into their own communities and spread the good word that the Americans are here to help. What could be better than that?

Many of the Chief's in that room said the same thing - "I have the best job in the Air Force" - well, I believe I do!

I love this job, I love what I'm doing and if I didn't miss my family and friends so much, I'd probably stay here as long as I could - like many of us here. Reality - I'm coming back as soon as my work here is finished.

Thanks for reading. God bless us all and thank you all for your prayers. I think about it every day - how many of you are praying for me and my Airmen. It's a wonderful feeling.

Mark.