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NYPD Blue to the ABU: Deployed Airman speaks of service, sacrifice

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol
  • 380th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  He grew up in Brooklyn, N.Y., and still calls it home. With more than 2.5 million people as New York City's most populous borough, Senior Airman Abdulbasset "Abdul" Montaser says it's a place like no other.

The New York City area has also long been known as a "melting pot" for immigration for hundreds of years and Airman Montaser's family is no different. His parents immigrated to the United States from Yemen more than 30 years ago, settled in a Brooklyn Brownstone home, and raised Airman Montaser and the rest of the family with a "love" for their new nation like no other. It also explains his family's dedication in serving.

"Both of my parents are grateful and proud to be citizens of the United States," said Airman Montaser, a services journeyman deployed to the 380th Expeditionary Force Support Squadron at a non-disclosed base in Southwest Asia. He is deployed from the New Jersey Air National Guard's 108th Force Support Squadron at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. "They are just as supportive of the troops as any other Americans and maybe more than others and they passed that on to us."

In addition to what he learned from his parents, understanding what it means to "serve" has always been crystal clear to him, Airman Montaser said. Before joining the Air Force and the Air National Guard, he served for seven years in the Marine Corps -- completing a one-year tour in Iraq in that time. For the last four years, he's also been a police officer with the New York Police Department, or NYPD.

"Being from a family of Marines, I had to follow the footsteps of my elders," Airman Montaser said. "My brother, uncles, cousins all served and are still serving to this day. I'm probably the only one in another branch now.

"Something I learned from being in two totally different branches of the military is that we all have one mission and that's to keep the people back home safe," Airman Montaser said. "So I'm extremely proud to serve in the armed forces at home or abroad. As far as being a police officer, I think I have the same responsibilities and duties at home. As a police officer, I'm held to a higher standard. I must do my best to keep every citizen safe. This is something I will always be proud and have the honor of doing."

In his deployed job as a services journeyman, Airman Montaser works in Roy's Flight Kitchen -- a dining facility located in the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing's operations area near the flightline.

"I deal with all the flight meals," he said. "I coordinate all the flight meals for the crews who leave for combat missions every day. I make sure all the proper documentation gets turned in and all the flight meals are ready in a timely manner. When I'm not busy with the flight meals I help out with other things that need to get done in the facility."

When he was in the Marine Corps, Airman Montaser worked as a transportation troop who wore the Marine combat uniform. "I worked in the motor pool," he said. Now, serving in the Air National Guard and in force support operations while deployed sporting the Airman Battle Uniform, or ABU, he said it provides a different perspective.

"I enjoy being in services," Airman Montaser said. "I learn a lot every day by just being out here on deployment. As I always say, we all have one mission. All the jobs revolve around each other. Regardless if its services getting food for aircrews or aircrews supporting Marines and Soldiers on the ground in Afghanistan, we all have a critical job and mission that has to be accomplished day-in and day-out."

At his deployed location, not far from where Airman Montaser rests every day after completing a 12-hour shift, there's a 9-11 memorial next to a fire station in honor of the victims of the attacks on New York City's World Trade Center, the Pentagon and in a field in Pennsylvania on Sept. 11, 2001. Airman Montaser said the first time he saw it, he was reminded of the many reasons he serves today.

"My first physical training session here was the first time I saw the 9-11 memorial," Airman Montaser said. "The run ended at the fire house by the memorial. When I was coming around that corner on my last lap, I for some reason had to walk up to the buildings that are a part of the memorial and touch them. Now, every time I pass the memorial, I take a quick second to think back to the days when real twin towers were still up."

Going back to Sept. 11, 2001, Airman Montaser recalls his mother waking him up to tell him what was going on in the news that morning.

"At that time, it was just after the first plane hit," Airman Montaser said. "I thought it was just a horrible accident. Moments later, when the second plane hit, I didn't know what to think. It was like something from a fictional movie. I couldn't believe it. I went up to the roof of my father's three-story Brownstone and could see it all."

The senior airman said shock was all that set in. His hometown was under attack and he said he felt like everyone else who was "watching this in horror not knowing what's going to happen next."

"People were crying. People were yelling. People were asking each other wuestions like, 'Is this really happening?' When the towers collapsed it was over and everyone was in a daze. It was quiet. I couldn't believe my eyes. That memorial here reenergizes me to do my best here. Just looking at it brings back the good memories from before the tragedy and suffering and reminds me to do what I can to never see that again," he said.

Partly because of his personal desire to continue to serve in some capacity continuously and because of the events of Sept. 11, Airman Montaser said he wanted to be an NYPD officer.

"Like all who we lost on Sept. 11, the New York police officers and firefighters were among the most brave of all people who responded; and now I am among them," Airman Montaser said. "I now work in a city-wide crime unit. The unit is predominantly a plain clothes unit. Overall, we do a lot of pro active operation which means we go out and make sure that the area we are assigned to at the time is safe and free of any crimes or illegal activities. We also follow and keep up to date with robbery and grand larceny patterns. If there is a pattern that is going on, we will normally get assigned that area."

Airman Montaser is also bilingual -- he's fluent in both English and Arabic languages. He learned Arabic growing up from his parents. He said, "We just spoke it a lot around the house." But being an American where English dominates, he also learned that as well. He said his Arabic skills have helped learn more about the local culture on his current and past deployments.

"When a local national first takes a look at me, they never think I can speak Arabic," Airman Montaser said. "They would assume I only speak English so they would talk in English. When I start to speak Arabic, I can see it in their faces they are wondering if what I just said was Arabic. I always tell them, 'Don't think too hard -- yes I speak Arabic.' From there, it's like a celebration for them.

"As far as learning about them, I know and understand the culture and traditions pretty well," he said. "Growing up, my parents taught me the basics -- whether it was speaking the language and customs and courtesies or learning the culture and traditions. I'm glad they did because it has helped in the long run."

When he closes out his current deployment to Southwest Asia, goes back to New York City and Brooklyn and hangs up his ABUs to put back on his NYPD blue, Airman Montaser said he will continue to remember the reason Americans have served, continue to serve, and sacrifice to protect their freedoms.

"The memorial here is a good example," Airman Montaser said. "When you come out here, all the way across the globe and see it there, it is touching. It shows the patriotism and dedication that we have as Americans. It represents the resolve and sacrifice of our people in this wing who fly the planes on combat missions and all the support personnel who make it happen. It's one team and a team I am proud to be a part of."