Rock Solid Warrior: Airman 1st Class Xavier Williams

Published May 11, 2012
386 Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Name: Airman 1st Class Xavier Williams

Deployed Unit: 46th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron

Duty Title: Sensor Operator

Home unit/station: 15th Reconnaissance Squadron, Creech Air Force Base, Nev.

Family's military heritage (anyone else in your family who was/is in the military?): I'm the first in the family to join the military.

What is your mission here?: Our mission here is to launch and land MQ-1B Predator aircraft for the crews back home.

What are some of the best parts of your mission?: The best part of our mission is the knowledge we provide persistent, real time intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance to battlespace commanders.

What are some of the challenges you face while conducting your mission, and how do you overcome them?: One of the biggest challenges here is dealing with a dynamic weather environment. The predator is very susceptible to weather and is difficult to land in strong winds. We are able to overcome these factors by having highly trained crews and excellent crew coordination.

How does your job differ in a deployed environment vs. home base?: Our job here is to launch and land the aircraft and hand them off to the guys in the states, who then prosecute the targets.

How many times have you deployed?: This is my first deployment.

What makes this deployment unique?: Since this is my first deployment I have learned an abundance of valuable information on how our aircraft works and functions. Back home we are not physically with the aircraft so deployment is a hands-on experience for us.

Why did you join the Air Force?: I joined the Air Force for a change of scenery. The Air Force has provided me with an opportunity to travel the world and pursue higher education.