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Mobility Airman profile: Joint Base Charleston Airman supports mail distribution for deployed troops in Afghanistan

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol
  • Air Mobility Command Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  Just the same as in previous conflicts, deployed service members still look forward to someone shouting, "Mail call!" Mail is one of the few things that can still tie them directly to home in a physical sense.

At Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, Airman 1st Class Patrick Smith of the 455th Expeditionary Communications Squadron is one of those people who makes sure incoming and outgoing mail is distributed in a timely manner for all those deployed with the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing at Bagram.

According to a news report from the 455th AEW Public Affairs, Airman Smith works in the Camp Cunningham Mail Center.

"The Camp Cunningham Mail Center receives an average of 24 pallets daily which handles all Air Force mail in the compound," the news report stated.

In being deployed to Bagram, Airman Smith supports Operation Enduring Freedom. Additionally, according to the wing Web site, the 455th AEW serves U.S. Air Forces Central and provides close air support, combat search rescue, aerial intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and airlift capabilities to U.S. and coalition forces supporting OEF. In conjunction with Combined Joint Task Force-82, the 455th AEW is working to secure the future of Afghanistan for the Afghan people. Aircraft include the F-15E Strike Eagle, C-130 Hercules, HH-60 Pave Hawk, and Navy EA-6B Prowler.

Airman Smith, who is from the 628th Communications Squadron, 628th Air Base Wing, at Joint Base Charleston, S.C., is a native of New Castle, Ind.

At his home station with the 628th CS, he supports a mission to "acquire, install, operate and maintains command, control, communications, computer systems supporting the 628th Air Base Wing, 437th Airlift Wing, 315th Airlift Wing, and 53 tenant organizations," according to a fact sheet about the the 628th CS. The squadron "assures the sufficiency, reliability, interoperability, and security of such systems and services" and "provides individual forces in support of combatant commander taskings worldwide."