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COMM Airman selected as Warrior of the Week

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. James Law
  • 455 Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan --  For one Airman assigned to the 455th Expeditionary Mission Support Squadron here, the news he was selected as the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing Warrior of the Week came as a surprise. 

"I had no idea there was an award, much less that I had been selected for it," said Staff Sgt. Andrew Barger, a communication-computer systems control craftsman deployed here from the 54th Combat Communications Squadron, Robins Air Force Base, Ga. 

Sergeant Barger was nominated for the award by Capt. Chris Yates, 455th EMSS communication flight commander. 

"Andy is one of my best Airmen and displays an on-the-job expertise you would expect from a senior person. He is always up for a challenge and sets high standards for those around him," said Captain Yates. 

Sergeant Barger is one of the technical control specialists responsible for ensuring Airmen on the east side of the base have both unclassified but Sensitive Internet Protocol Router Network (NIPRNet) and Secret Internet Protocol Router Network (SIPRNet) capabilities. His daily tasks vary from troubleshooting a network server to performing field maintenance. 

"There is a lot of information communicated through the network essential to the operations conducted here," said Sergeant Barger. "I definitely feel what I do directly contributes to our mission." 

The Overland Park, Kansas native was majoring in Secondary Education at Pittsburg State University, Pittsburg, Kansas, when he decided to enlist in the Air Force. 

"I joined because of 9-11," said Sergeant Barger. "I knew we were going to do something and I wanted to do my part." 

Doing his part, the brother of a twin sister has deployed three times since enlisting six years ago. 

"I have had a lot of fun going all over the world, meeting awesome people and being a part of something bigger than myself," Sergeant Barger said with a smile. 

The Warrior of the Week is a program used to recognize Airmen who have displayed outstanding professionalism and work ethic in a wartime environment.