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Rock Solid Warrior

  • Published
  • 386th Expeditionary Communications Squadron
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  Senior Airman Roger Lyday

Senior Airman
Roger Lyday

386th Expeditionary Communications Squadron

Postal Clerk

Home unit/base: 27th Communications Squadron, Cannon, Air Force Base N.M.


How do you support the mission here? My co-workers and I support the base by receiving and sorting all the incoming mail for the Air Force and Coalition forces. My job is to ensure the restrictions and guidelines are met for all outgoing mail by conducting thorough inspections of everything. Also, I have the chance to do my part by volunteering for the base Honor Guard and Airman's Council. As a squadron physical training leader, I help setup and lead squadron PT three times a week. It is my goal to make the biggest impact on the base as I possibly can while deployed here.

How many times have you deployed and what makes this one unique? This is my first deployment. It has been a great experience for me. I get to see another side of the Air Force that I have never seen before. The weather is similar to my home station but the mindset and overall atmosphere is very unique. I am grateful to be deployed at such a great base with great supervision and co-workers. I enjoy the face-to-face interaction I get working at the post office especially when someone gets their long awaited package from loved ones. I am definitely looking forward to future deployments.

How does your job differ in a deployed environment vs. home base? Postal is not my career field back at Cannon, where I am a ground radar technician. The post office is a major change from working mostly behind the scenes with high-voltage electronics at Cannon AFB. Here, I am always working the counter and interacting with everyone, including the coalition forces and Airmen of all ranks. I do a lot more manual labor than I am used to, but I enjoy every challenge thrown my way. I am very proud of what I am doing here. Everyone has a part and mine is being the postman for Air-Expeditionary-Force-7/8 rotation.