Operation Enduring Freedom

101121-N-6541W-010 KABUL, Afghanistan - Maj. David Burnett (left), the Afghan Air Force Religious and Cultural Affairs Advisor with NATO Training Command-Afghanistan and an Afghan Air Force officer inspect beans that will be passed out in the coming weeks on the Afghan Air Force Base in Kabul. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jared Walker/ RELEASED).

Operation Enduring Freedom

101121-N-6541W-030 KABUL, Afghanistan - Maj. David Burnett (left), the Afghan Air Force Religious and Cultural Affairs Advisor with NATO Training Command-Afghanistan, shakes hands with a shop keeper after buying beans, rice and tea that will be passed out in the coming weeks on the Afghan Air Force Base in Kabul. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jared Walker/ RELEASED).

Afghan Air Force, NATC-A advisors visit local Kabul market to prepare for food drive

Published Dec. 21, 2010
By MC3 Jared E. Walker
438th AEW PA

KABUL, Afghanistan -- Members of the Afghan Air Force and NATO Training Command-Afghanistan visited a local market in Kabul to buy food Dec.21. The food will be distributed in the coming week to local Afghans that work as contractors on the Afghan Air Force base and their families.

"Supporting the contractors is taking care of the troops. They might not be AAF members, but they are part of the team; they contribute so much to our mission. It's important that we take care of them and their families," said Maj. David M. Burnett, the Afghan Air Force religious and cultural affairs adviser with the 438th Air Expeditionary Wing/NATC-A.
Burnett said that Col. Basir, the Afghan Air Force religious and cultural affairs, actually came up with the idea for a food drive for the contractors.

"What we are trying to do is get food together so we can distribute it to the contractors on base; many of them are supporting large families. We received donations of money from the states so we could purchase this food. Once we had the money in hand and the convoy ready to depart, we went to the trader and purchased large bags of beans and rice, plastic bags to distribute, cooking oil and tea," said Burnett.

He also said that this is important because coalition troops are trying to help foster the relations between the community and AAF.

"A majority of the community doesn't even know that they have an air force, so we are trying to build that relationship and support the local contractors on base that support our mission every single day," said Burnett.

Burnett said that it brings a tremendous amount of pleasure for him to be involved in missions like this.

"In some cases it really humbles me to see what these guys go through and see them really struggling. Just to be a part of helping and contributing to make their lives a little easier brings joy to me," said Burnett.

In the coming week, the food will be distributed to contractors and their families on the Afghan Air Force Base in Kabul. Burnett, hopes more events like this will take place in the future, and the relationship between the local population and the Afghan Air Force will continue to grow.