Airman 1st Class Gregory Myers: Force Protection with a smile

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- Airman 1st Class Gregory Myers is a long way from the rainy days at Royal Air Force Mildenhall in the United Kingdom. A pavement and construction journeyman by trade, Myers has spent the first two years of his Air Force career operating heavy machinery and earning the title of “Dirt Boy”, a nickname given to heavy equipment and construction personnel.

His current deployment however, has him wearing the hat of a force protection escort with the 455th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, here at Bagram.

His first deployment, Myers did not freight from doing a job outside of his career field.

“I was excited,” said Myers. “I wasn’t expecting to be a dirt boy, I was ready to come and provide force protection.”

As a force protection escort, Myers is responsible for reducing the risk of potential threats from adversaries by providing security for the flight line as local nationals perform construction on the base.

This job may seem like a piece of cake, but the tasks of being a watch guard for numerous hours both day and night and the responsibility of being a first line of defense and safety for the base and your fellow Airman, could be daunting to some.

Being a force protection escort calls on you to invoke all three echelons of the Air Force Warrior Ethos; moral and physical courage and hardiness of spirit.

Airman Myers leans toward hardiness of spirit to help him fulfill his role and maintain a sound mind.

“I always stay positive and look at everything with a positive outlook,” said Myers. “I am here to provide security and support wherever it is needed.”