AAF takes charge of flight security at KAW

Afghan air force Sgt. Ullah Nasib, aerial port specialist, scans baggage using an X-ray inspection system prior to allowing passengers to enter the AAF passenger terminal at Kandahar Air Wing, Afghanistan, April 18, 2012. Advisers from the 738th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group air transportation section are currently training the AAF to manage all cargo and passengers that flow through the KAW AAF passenger terminal. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Nadine Y. Barclay)

AAF takes charge of flight security at KAW

Passengers load a C-27 Spartan aircraft after being processed through a security check point by the Afghan air force aerial port personnel at the AAF passenger terminal at Kandahar Air Wing, Afghanistan, April 18, 2012. Advisers from the 738th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group air transportation section are currently training the AAF to manage all cargo and passengers that flow through the KAW AAF passenger terminal. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Nadine Y. Barclay)

AAF takes charge of flight security at KAW

Staff Sgt. Justin Bright (right), air transportation adviser with the 738th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group, provides over watch for Afghan air force aerial port personnel while they scan baggage prior to a flight at Kandahar Air Wing, Afghanistan, April 18, 2012. Bright is currently deployed from the 305th Aerial Port Squadron at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., to help train and advise the AAF on how to properly manage all cargo and passengers that flow through the KAW AAF passenger terminal. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Nadine Y. Barclay)

AAF takes charge of flight security at KAW

A passenger waits for his baggage to be processed through the Afghan air force passenger terminal by aerial port personnel prior to a flight leaving Kandahar Air Wing, Afghanistan, April 18, 2012. Advisers from the 738th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group air transportation section are currently training the AAF to manage all cargo and passengers that flow through the KAW AAF passenger terminal. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Nadine Y. Barclay)

AAF takes charge of flight security at KAW

A C-27 Spartan aircraft departs the Kandahar aerial port after picking up passengers that were processed through a security checkpoint by an all Afghan air force aerial port crew, Kandahar Air Wing, April 18, 2012. Advisers from the 738th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group air transportation section are currently training the AAF to manage all cargo and passengers that flow through the KAW AAF passenger terminal. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Nadine Y. Barclay)

AAF takes charge of flight security at KAW

Published April 24, 2012
By Staff Sgt. Nadine Y. Barclay
438th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan -- Advisers with the 738th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group air transportation flight recently began transitioning responsibility of passenger and cargo processing, a vital component of flight security at Kandahar Air Wing, to the Afghan air force aerial port personnel.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Justin Bright, an adviser with the 443rd Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron, said he has been advising the Afghans for more than five months and said he is pleased with their ability to execute the mission and secure Afghan airspace with minimal support from advisers.

"I am proud of how far they have come in this process since I've been here," said the Midland, Texas native. "It has not been easy but they are very close to being ready to run their entire process without any help from the advisers."

The seven AAF aerial porters and one intelligence officer completed a seven week-long 'three level' Pohantton-e-Hawayee (PeH), the AAF's "Big Air School" certified training course to be certified to process passengers and cargo through the KAW aerial port.

The course included training on X-ray use for baggage searches, passenger processing, uploading and unloading of aircraft, forklift driving and certification and baggage and cargo searches by hand.

Bright, who is deployed from the 305th Aerial Port Squadron at Joint Base McGuire-Dix- Lakehurst, N.J., said the advisers have been able to step back and let the Afghans handle and manage their own process.

"They take pride in their processing system and in the flight's security. It's apparent in their work and in the care they take when processing passengers and cargo through the port," said Bright.

The KAW aerial personnel transport AAF and Afghan national army passengers on leave status twice a week, which adds up to approximately 400 passengers screened through KAW on a monthly basis. No passenger sets foot on an aircraft until they are properly searched and processed.

"The AP personnel ensure that aircraft tail numbers, mission numbers, passenger numbers and time and dates are all documented for that day's manifestation documents," said Bright.

Prior to flights, passengers are bought into the KAW passenger terminal and searched using a hand wand and baggage is searched by hand and then placed in an X-ray inspection system prior to being loaded on the aircraft. This concept does not come without its challenges.

"They are trained to ensure accountability for who and what flies," said Bright. "Our main hurdle was getting them to understand that they actually needed to use the X-ray machine even if they had already searched bags by hand because they may have not seen everything the first time."

Recently the aerial port airmen recovered ammunition being transported during an X-ray scan that was missed in an initial baggage search at the gate which reiterated the need for using the X-ray scanner, commented advisers.

"I completely trust the AP personnel here," said Master Sgt. Paul Kohout, a 443rd AEAS air transport adviser deployed from the 436th Aerial Port Squadron at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware. "They share our same concerns for the passengers and crews of the aircraft they process and their professionalism assures me that if I was to ride on one of these aircraft my safety wouldn't be a concern."

AAF Sgt. Ullah Nasib said that he was very pleased with his job and what the advisers had taught him about his job so far.

"I am very happy with my mentors for showing me what I need to do for my job," said Nasib. "I look forward to working with them in the future and learning new things to improve my country."

"Basically our role is just to assist them if they had any questions," said Bright, who is deployed from the 305th Aerial Port Squadron at Joint Base McGuire-Dix- Lakehurst, N.J. "We stand back and let them handle and mange their own process."