10 Soldiers I Met One Night in Afghanistan

Commentary by Lt. Col. David Fahrenkrug, 379th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron Commander. (Hat Tip: The Tension)

Commentary:

SOUTHWEST ASIA, Aug. 3, 2008 -- The war in Afghanistan can often seem far away. Yet recently, the cost of war became very apparent. I did not know the soldiers' names that night. They were simply passing through. The 10 soldiers had finished their tour of duty in Afghanistan, but none of them were going home the way they intended. They were killed during a fierce battle near the village of Wanat in the Afghan province of Kunar. Their tour of duty cut short by insurgents determined to overrun a coalition operating base. The Taliban failed, but not without exacting a toll from American forces on the ground.

A small group of Airmen from across the base gathered that night to pay our respects and give these soldiers a final salute. The main ramp was a flurry of activity, typical these days, even at 1 a.m. But with the lights casting our shadows on the C-17 Globemaster III loading ramp, all of that faded away. My thoughts were only on those soldiers and their families -- their sacrifices and the loss their families must be feeling. These men died serving our country and I was humbled to be there that night to honor them. As I paid my respects, my heart ached for the families who will live with this pain for the rest of their lives.

This event demonstrates the reality of war Airmen work so hard to overcome.

These men died during an attack by a well organized force of more than 200 insurgents. Insurgents seized an opportunity to attack a newly established forward operating base. Coalition forces were outnumbered three to one and they were not yet fully prepared to defend their base. Airpower; however, was there to make the difference. In less time than you will wait for a bus, Air Force aircraft were overhead to identify insurgents and provide warning to other coalition forces and unleash destruction on the insurgents. The attack was defeated. Once again the insurgents witnessed the coalition's decisive advantage in fighting the insurgency in Afghanistan -- airpower.

Airmen throughout Southwest Asia do everything they can to provide airpower for the defense of our forces and to defeat enemy forces who engage our troops or attack civilian populations. Airmen work tirelessly around the clock so Americans and coalition forces have the combat airpower they need precisely when they need it. While that may be of little comfort to the families whose father, or husband, or brother who was killed fighting the war on terrorism, airpower did make a difference for dozens of others. The forward operating base at Wanat survived and soldiers are alive today because airpower was there.