Gone but not forgotten

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Valarie, Train, Advise, Assist Command – Air (TAAC-Air), waters the flowers around the NATO Air Training Command – Afghanistan (NATC-A) Nine Memorial Forward Operating Base Oqab, Afghanistan, Sept. 22, 2015. The 438th Air Expeditionary Advisor Group with funds and donations by the Enlisted Coalition Council built the NATC-A Nine Memorial in April 2013. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Sandra Welch/released)

Gone but not forgotten

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Valarie, Train, Advise, Assist Command – Air (TAAC-Air), clean off the plaque at the NATO Air Training Command – Afghanistan (NATC-A) Nine Memorial Forward Operating Base Oqab, Afghanistan, Sept. 22, 2015. The 438th Air Expeditionary Advisor Group with funds and donations by the Enlisted Coalition Council built the NATC-A Nine Memorial in April 2013. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Sandra Welch/released)

Gone but not forgotten

Published Oct. 2, 2015
By Staff Sgt. Sandra Welch
AFCENT Combat Camera

KABUL, Afghanistan -- It was the morning of April 27, 2011, a normal day at Forward Operating Base Oqab here until gunshots filled the air. An Afghan Air Force officer opened fire on nine U.S. individuals fatally wounding them.

Today stands a memorial at FOB Oqab in remembrance of those nine who laid down their lives. Surrounding the plaque are flowers and a mural painted on the wall to remind those who served here of those day in April.

“They had gone over to advise Afghan Air Force personnel when an Afghan officer had come in and opened fire,” said Tech. Sgt. Valarie (last name deleted), Train, Advise, Assist Command – Air (TAAC-Air).

After this tragedy the 438th Air Expeditionary Advisor Group, with funds and donations from the Enlisted Coalition Council, built the NATC-A Nine Memorial in April 2013. A mural was later painted on the T-wall directly behind it in 2014.

“Lt. Col. Evans was the one who was taking care of it for the past year,” Valarie said. “I was really moved when I got here and I saw him walking back and forth taking care of the memorial at least three times a day. So I asked him about it and he was about ready to leave so he asked if I wanted to take it over and I said, ‘Yes, absolutely.’”

Valarie was really moved by the date the nine had lost their lives because it is a date she shares with them as her birthday. The flowers are watered several times a day that surround the memorial.

“I just hope the families know they’re not forgotten and that we take care of it every day, and there are a lot of people who take care of it,” Valarie said. “It isn’t just me and there are a lot of people who work here on base that care for it if we’re not here for any reason.”

People who work on FOB Oqab walk past the memorial and are reminded of those who sacrificed their lives.

“That’s the whole reason why we are here; we are here to carry on the mission but not forget those that have sacrificed for the mission,” Valarie said.