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Hill reservists support Afghanistan troop surge

  • Published
  • By Kari Tilton
  • 419th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah --  About 30 members of the 419th Fighter Wing's Civil Engineer Squadron departed Aug. 1 for a six-month deployment to Afghanistan in support of the troop surge underway as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.

The team of Air Force Reservists will be based at Bagram Airfield and will provide engineering, master planning and light troop labor for existing facilities and new construction at the massive military hub. They will also provide civil engineering support to nearby forward operating bases and combat outposts.

"Our specialized teams of carpenters, electricians, heavy equipment operators, and plumbers will support the build-up effort and supply our boots on the ground some of the most bare and essential necessities," said Col. Walter Sams, 419th FW commander.

"The mission of Bagram Airfield is to 'defend the base, supply the fight, and win,' and our folks will quite literally be laying the foundation for this mission," Colonel Sams added.

Bagram Airfield currently houses about 30,000 multinational forces. An additional 30,000 U.S. troops are expected to head to Afghanistan in the coming months to further bolster the ongoing surge.

"There is an extremely high demand for expeditionary civil engineering throughout Afghanistan, and Air Force engineers have been crucial to meeting the need for increased infrastructure," said Lt. Col. David Konshok, 419th CES commander.

The team will make up the 577th Expeditionary Prime BEEF - Base Engineer Emergency Force - Squadron and will be joined by Air Force Reserve civil engineers from Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., and McConnel AFB, Kan. Prime BEEF teams are rapidly deployable, specialized civil engineer units that provide a full range of engineering support required to establish, operate and maintain garrison and contingency airbases.

Colonel Konshok will serve as commander of the 577th EPBS and says he and his team are looking forward to the deployment.

"It's gratifying to know that we will be improving the quality of life for personnel who'll be deployed to Bagram and the surrounding area for extended periods of time," Colonel Konshok said. "We want to give them safe and comfortable places to live and work."