ROCK SOLID WARRIOR Published Oct. 20, 2008 387th Expeditionary Support Squadron SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Airman 1st Class Dajuan Smith Force Protection escort Home unit/base: 22nd Logistics Readiness Squadron, McConnell Air Force Base, Kan. How do you support the mission here? I provide force protection for the installation by eliminating potential information collection activities by non-coalition members and ensuring the expeditious processing of valuable cargo and support troops to and from forward locations. Specifically, I'm responsible for monitoring any suspicious activity of contractors performing various support work on the base. How many times have you deployed and what makes this one unique? This is my first deployment. Everything is unique. I am usually working behind a desk or in a warehouse all day. This is such a great change, to be out in the field working with all different people from all over the Air Force and the world. Working on the flightline gives me a chance to see a whole different side of the Air Force, as well as the end product of my job at home. It gives me a whole new perspective of the military as a whole. It's awesome. How does your job differ in a deployed environment vs. home base? This is my first deployment and I am not doing my regular job, which is a nice break. I like my normal job, but this is better in a way. Sometimes we get complacent in our everyday lives, but this feels real. I like getting up every day knowing that this is it, this is what we train so hard for. Now I actually get to do it.