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Brig. Gen. Dave Julazadeh (center), 455th Air Expeditionary Wing commander, Lt. Col. Mitchell Spillers (left), 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron commander, Maj. Met Berisha (right), 455th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron commander, and Airmen of the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing gather to pay their respect and mourn the loss of six Airmen during a fallen comrade memorial ceremony Oct. 3, 2015, at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. The six Airmen, four who were pilots and crew members, Capts. Jordan Pierson and Jonathan Golden, Staff Sgt. Ryan Hammond and Senior Airman Quinn Johnson-Harris, and two who were security forces fly away security team members, Airman 1st Class Kcey Ruiz and Senior Airman Nathan Sartain, lost their lives when their C-130J crashed shortly after take-off from Jalalabad Airfield in Afghanistan, Oct. 2, 2015. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Cierra Presentado/Released)


Vulture Airmen gather to mourn the loss of fallen Airmen

Brig. Gen. Dave Julazadeh (center), 455th Air Expeditionary Wing commander, Lt. Col. Mitchell Spillers (left), 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron commander, Maj. Met Berisha (right), 455th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron commander, and Airmen of the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing gather to pay their respect and mourn the loss of six Airmen during a fallen comrade memorial ceremony Oct. 3, 2015, at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. The six Airmen, four who were pilots and crew members, Capts. Jordan Pierson and Jonathan Golden, Staff Sgt. Ryan Hammond and Senior Airman Quinn Johnson-Harris, and two who were security forces fly away security team members, Airman 1st Class Kcey Ruiz and Senior Airman Nathan Sartain, lost their lives when their C-130J crashed shortly after take-off from Jalalabad Airfield in Afghanistan, Oct. 2, 2015. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Cierra Presentado/Released)

Related Imagery
Airman 1st Class Yongqin Li is a foreign-born Airman who spent most of his early life in China. When Li graduated high school, he immigrated to America. He was a full-time college student and worked various jobs to make ends meet. He eventually joined the U.S. Air Force; on the day of his basic military training graduation, became a U.S. citizen during a Naturalization ceremony. Li is deployed out of Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, where is a member of the 55th Force Support Squadron force management section. At Kandahar Airfield, he serves on the 451st Expeditionary Support Squadron Personnel Support for Contingency Operations team. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Benjamin Gonsier)
Two Airmen, who are deployed to Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, as part of the 451st Expeditionary Support Squadron, are emblematic of the diverse force. Staff Sgt. Nana Dankwa and Airman 1st Class Yongqin Li did not grow up in the United States. They emigrated from their respective countries and gained citizenship while serving in the U.S. Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo illustration by Staff Sgt. Benjamin Gonsier)
Staff Sgt. Nana Dankwa is a foreign-born Airman who spent most of his early life in Accra, Ghana. He lived with his grandparent’s and moved to America as an adult. After a couple of years, Dankwa joined the U.S. Air Force, eventually becoming a U.S. citizen. Dankwa is a civil engineer deployed out of Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, and is the NCO in charge of civil engineering for the 451st Expeditionary Support Squadron at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Benjamin Gonsier)
An F-16 Fighting Falcon from the 555th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron takes off from Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, June 16, 2017. The F-16 is a compact, multi-role fighter aircraft. It is highly maneuverable and has proven itself in air-to-air combat and air-to-surface attack. In Afghanistan, the F-16, also known as a Viper, provides precision airpower to degrade and deter enemy activity.(U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Benjamin Gonsier)
Maintainers ensure an F-16 Fighting Falcon assigned to the 555th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron is ready for takeoff at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, June 16, 2017. F-16s deployed to Bagram Airfield provide over watch and close air support to U.S. and coalition forces through the Afghanistan area of operation, enabling coalition forces to focus on training, advising and assisting Afghanistan’s military and security forces. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Benjamin Gonsier)
A 555th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron pilot waits for directions at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, June 16, 2017. The 555th EFS deployed to Bagram Airfield as part of a rotation of fighters, which have had a constant presence in Afghanistan for more than a decade. The F-16s presence here serves the counterterrorism mission and deters actions against coalition forces—day or night. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Benjamin Gonsier)
Airman 1st Class Michael Smothers, a 455th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron weapons load crew member, holds an F-16 Fighting Falcon in place at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, June 16, 2017. Smothers is deployed out of Aviano Air Base, Italy, and is a native of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Benjamin Gonsier)
An F-16 Fighting Falcon assigned to the 555th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron performs an afterburner run at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, June 16, 2017. Conducting afterburner runs enables maintainers to discover possible problems with the engine that may not be detectable through regular inspections. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Benjamin Gonsier)
An F-16 Fighting Falcon assigned to the 555th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron prepares for takeoff at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, June 16, 2017. The 555th EFS deployed to Bagram Airfield as part of a rotation of fighters, which have had a constant presence in Afghanistan for more than a decade. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Benjamin Gonsier)
Staff Sgt. Donterrio Erby, a 455th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron aerospace propulsion technician, shows his unit pride by displaying the “Triple Nickel” sign at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, June 16, 2017. Erby is deployed out of Aviano Air Base, Italy, where he performs engine maintenance on F-16 Fighting Falcons assigned to the 555th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Benjamin Gonsier)
Senior Airman Kyle Bieri, a 455th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron aerospace propulsion technician, communicates with a team member during an F-16 Fighting Falcon afterburner run at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, June 16, 2017. Bieri is deployed out of Aviano Air Base, Italy, and supports the F-16 Fighting Falcons assigned to the 555th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Benjamin Gonsier)
Staff Sgt. Donterrio Erby, a 455th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron aerospace propulsion technician, waits for a piece of equipment before conducting an F-16 Fighting Falcon afterburner run at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, June 16, 2017. Erby is deployed out of Aviano Air Base, Italy, where he performs engine maintenance on F-16s assigned to the 555th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Benjamin Gonsier)