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Command post staff work with coalition forces

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Renni Thornton
  • 451st Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan --  Insurgents launched a ground attack on Kandahar Airfield Aug. 3. While coalition forces sprang into action to thwart the attack, members of the 451st Air Expeditionary Wing command post were just as hard at work, keeping the wing commander, key leaders and the members of the wing informed about the events as they unfolded.

On a typical day, command post controllers are responsible for receiving and disseminating information as it pertains to the wing. They also receive calls and make notifications about flight line mishaps, road closures, chemical spills and other events that could impact the mission. Additionally, they record all Air Force flight activity in and out of the base.

"In normal layman's terms, at a normal Air Force base, the command post is the 'brain' of the base. The nerves or critical work centers like security forces, fire department, medical care teams, and base operations are tied into us. If something happens, it's just like a nerve to the brain. The impulse goes up to the brain. We communicate it to the boss and he tells us what he wants done and we disseminate that information back down to those same agencies," said Tech. Sgt. Jason Jones, noncommissioned officer in charge of the command post.

"In deployed locations like this, where we don't have control of the airfield, the flow of information can be choppy sometimes," said Sergeant Jones.

With a robust flying mission, getting the most up-to-date information from the agencies that do control those areas can be daunting for the controllers.

"During the recent ground attack, we were making several calls to the Joint Defense Operations Center, the base Operations Center and other ops centers, trying to get as much information as we could about what was happening. Those folks were doing the same thing--trying to get the most current information about the event from the guys at the scene," said Sergeant Jones.

Working with the NATO agencies can be educational for the work center and the process continues to improve.

"We all continue to learn more about the capabilities each agency brings to the table and how we can use those skills to improve our processes," said Lt. Col. Jason Pabelico, the director of staff of the 451st AEW and officer in charge of ensuring the staff gets what they need.

The best part of the job, said Sergeant Jones, is the instant gratification of solving a situation. "In some jobs, you have to forecast months out to get a problem fixed. In this job, if something happens we receive the information, we disseminate it to the right people, a decision is made, and we disseminate and log the events and write the report."

For Staff Sgt. Jacqueline Barkey, a command post controller, the best part of the job is being the conduit in the flow of information.

"It's rewarding when you are able to help coordinate a landing, or re-fuel or something for an inbound aircraft or help someone by passing information that helps them do their job more smoothly. I enjoy helping people get what they need to do their job."