Rock Solid Warrior Published Dec. 19, 2007 887th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Senior Airman Harold Houghtalen Heavy weapons gunner Home unit/base: 823rd Security Forces Squadron, Moody Air Force Base, Ga. How do you support the mission here? I support the mission by providing convoy support as an M-2, 50 caliber machine gun, gunner. How many times have you deployed and what makes this one unique? I have deployed four times to Iraq. On previous deployments we operated in mostly dismounted patrols; we would go into the towns and try to win the hearts and minds of the people. This deployment, we are mainly convoy escort and don't get the opportunity to go into the towns. How does your job differ in a deployed environment versus home base? As a member of the 820th Security Forces Group our main mission is to train at home and deploy. In a deployed environment you have to be on your toes more because the situations we face are no longer exercises, but real world. At home base we are allowed to make mistakes because it is a training atmosphere, but deployed, if we make a mistake or hesitate, it could mean someone's life is in jeopardy.