Rock Solid Warrior

Senior Airman Charles J. Giertz, 387th Expeditionary Support Squadron, sharpens his character as a Force Protection Escort at an undisclosed deployed location in Southwest Asia on Dec. 21, 2012. Giertz was awarded this weeks “Rock Solid Warrior” designation by the 386 Air Expeditionary Wing. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Austin Knox)

Rock Solid Warrior: Senior Airman Charles J. Giertz

Published Dec. 21, 2012
387 ESPTS

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Name: Senior Airman Charles J. Giertz

Deployed Unit: 387 ESPTS/FP

Duty Title: Force Protection Escort

Home unit/station: 48th OSS RAF Lakenheath, UK

Hometown: HOBART, IN

Family's military heritage: grandfather USAF AC Mechanic in WWII and Korea.

What is your mission here? Force Protection escort.

What are some of the best parts of your mission? The interaction with other unique world cultures.

What are some of the challenges you face while conducting your mission, and how do you overcome them? Ensuring the safety and security of our base and its members and watching out for the safety and security of those I escort daily while performing this critical job.

How does your job differ in a deployed environment vs. home base? Combining multiple skill sets, career-fields into one cohesive functioning unit to get the job done in an austere environment builds and sharpens my character and my understanding of how each piece of every mission done in our vast Air Force ties together to complete our role in the world at large. Home station duties can seem routine and repetitive; after being here in the AOR I understand more clearly than ever the importance each one of us and the job(s) we do complete the broad AF mission.

How many times have you deployed? 1st time deployed

What makes this deployment unique? The location in a totally new and unique environment, the landscape, the sights, the sounds, the "unique" Kuwaiti drivers; all these things combine to make this one of, if not, the most unique and interesting experiences I've had!

Why did you join the Air Force? March 2010 I joined to AF to be part of something bigger, I wanted to do something meaningful, and the education benefits are the greatest, I've already completed 2 classes toward my CCAF since being deployed here.