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Bagram dedicates DFAC to fallen Airman

  • Published
  • By U.S. Army Capt. Elizabeth Casebeer
  • Task Force Cincinnatus Public Affairs
BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan --  In a sea of digital camouflage, he definitely stood out amongst the crowd of mostly-Army service members, and those who knew him best often tried to top one another in stories.
'He' was Senior Airman Jonathan A.V. Yelner - a coalition warrior, an Airman and a friend, and he was killed instantly, April 29, when an improvised explosive device detonated underneath his vehicle after conducting a battle damage assessment with local Afghan tribal leaders outside the village of Bedreau in Tag Ab Valley, Kapisa province, Afghanistan. Now, his name will be honored for years to come here.

A Bagram Air Field dining facility was dedicated to the fallen Airman July 6. Flanking either side of the walkway is a sign depicting the brief timeline of the events that day and of a snapshot of Yelner right before a mission, grinning from ear to ear.

Several high-ranking officers, non-commissioned officers and more than 200 fellow service members attended the dedication and there was hardly a dry eye during the ceremony.

Airman Yelner, who was affectionately called "Wingnut" by his team, because they say the senior airman rank resembles the wingnut at the end of a screw, already had a deployment to Iraq under his belt when he volunteered to redeploy, this time for one year.

So, again he departed Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., and, this time, with a Provincial Reconstruction Team headed to Afghanistan. His team, commanded by Lt. Col. William D. Andersen, was comprised of Airmen and Soldiers from around the country.

Army Capt. Casey McCausland clearly recalled driving Airman Yelner to his Friday-night temple services and how the younger man would act a bit cocky on the ride to and from. It wasn't until the team arrived in Afghanistan, after nearly two months of training, that Captain McCausland noticed how much Airman Yelner was beginning to excel.

"He volunteered to go to Tag Ab Valley as my driver," said Captain McCausland, who acknowledged the majority of his team is comprised of tactically-trained Soldiers, a group of men used to "roughing it" on forward operating bases. This did not seem to deter Airman Yelner, who jumped on board and quickly proved himself worthy.

"After about a month in Tag Ab, we came back to BAF to rearm and refit," said Captain McCausland. "People noticed in that short amount of time how Yelner was more on-track, a different person. He just carried himself better."

Indeed, the team counted on Airman Yelner - a model Airman, who took his job as a driver in a particularly dangerous part of Afghanistan very seriously.

"We could always count on the kid to have the truck ready way ahead of time," said Captain McCausland. "He took pride in getting the truck ready, filling the radio, and other things outside his duty description. Even though he was not a gunner, he took time to clean the crew-served weapons."

It's been more than two months since Airman Yelner was killed and Captain McCausland is not sure anybody can come close to filling the Airman's boots.

"The cohesion we had as a team---it's just not the same anymore," he said sadly.