Get connected

LOGAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan -- Air Force Staff Sgt. Jeremy Emond inspects the satellite dish of the Virtual Secure Internet Protocol Router, Non-secure Internet Protocol Router Access Point system installed at Combat Oupost McClain. Sergeant Emond operates the VSNAP to free up more Soldiers for combat operations. (U.S. Army photo/Pfc. Melissa Stewart)

JET Airman helps Army get connected

Published Oct. 21, 2009
By Pfc. Melissa Stewart
Combined Joint Task Force - 82

LOGAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan -- Shoot, move and communicate. That's a Soldiers motto on the battlefield, but without stable internet connection, communication would not be possible.

Air Force Staff Sgt. Jeremy Emond, at Combat Outpost McClain does his part in aiding Soldiers communicate by providing internet access.

"Here I'm supporting the war fighters at ground zero," said Emond.

Although having internet access may not seem to be important, nearly everything from tacking intelligence reports, planning operations, and tracking troops outside the wire depend on internet connectivity.

"Before he came out here the [Secure Internet Protocol Router] was really slow, and with most of my job I use SIPR," said Spc. Daniel T. Bailey, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Task Force Spartan intelligence analyst. "Since he's come, everything has been really fast."

Emond is one of nearly 80 Airmen from around the world that deployed to various locations in Afghanistan to operate the Virtual Secret Internet Protocol Router, Non-Secure Internet Protocol Router, Access Point, which provides much needed internet access for Soldiers.

"This is probably the most fun I'll ever have on deployment," said Emond. "It's given me a chance to see how the war is being fought from inside a command post."

VSNAP is a system developed early this year to provide Soldiers in remote locations with internet connectivity.

"It's a great system because the disc can be set up in about 15 minutes and you can probably be passing traffic in a half an hour," said Emond. "It can pull power of a running Humvee, you don't even need a generator to operate the system."