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Servicemembers celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Kandahar Airfield

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Angelique N. Smythe
  • 451st Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan --  Approximately 300 people joined together in honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Jan. 18 on Kandahar.

"It gave people in a deployed environment a chance to not only honor Dr. King but to come together collectively," said Tech. Sgt. Kenneethia Kennard, 451st Air Expeditionary Wing Equal Opportunity director.

Joint servicemembers from the Air Force, Army and Navy performed a Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., speech tribute and ended together in a circle with their hands raised in unity.

The Fraise Chapel Gospel Choir sang a musical selection, and the Radical for Christ Dance Ministry put on a dance performance to the song, "I Need You to Survive," which spoke of loving one another and the type of unity Dr. King advocated.

"We have lots of nations, services, and some people who aren't even military who've come together to achieve the mission," Sergeant Kennard said. "And that's what Dr. King was all about. We had a chance to really experience that wholeheartedly. It shows what we're here for. We're fighting a war, but we're here in the name of helping a country unify itself." 

The guest speaker was Maj. Charles Gates, Command Kandahar Airfield Force Protection chief of Force Protection Plans.

"I'm happy that our wing leadership supported us to enable us to do this," Sergeant Kennard said. "You can have an idea, dream or a vision, but if people don't support it, it's not successful. It was an awesome turn out."

The event was sponsored by the 451st AEW and KAF EO community.