Rock Solid Warrior Published Nov. 27, 2007 386th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Staff Sgt. Pierino Walker Aircrew life support assistant NCO in charge Home unit/base: 2nd Airlift Squadron/ Pope Air Force Base, N.C. How do you support the mission here? Our job here is to supply aircrews with the necessary training and equipment to handle in-flight emergencies and to enhance their survivability. I issue life saving equipment and train crews to use parachutes, night vision devices, survival rafts, flight helmets and other flight survival equipment. I also teach ground survival techniques so that in the event of a crash in hostile territory, crews can evade capture. Additionally, we offer basic flight equipment support for any sister service or coalition forces aircraft that may land here. How many times have you deployed and what makes this one unique? I have deployed nine times besides this deployment. For me, what makes this deployment unique, is that we actually support our brothers in arms by bringing the fight to the enemy. I also directly affect daily missions by giving aircrews the ability to fly into any environment and come out alive. How does your job differ in a deployed environment versus home base? In a deployed environment, the equipment we issue and the training we deliver is used in real world operations, whereas at home station, we only support daily training missions. Another difference is that in the deployed environment the operations tempo is much higher than at home base, but it is fulfilling for me to know that my equipment is put to the test and may save a fellow Airman's life.