MSG chief on deploying: "We're in the fight in a major way"

Published Sept. 5, 2008
By Chief Master Sgt. Cynthia Solomito
21st Mission Support Group superintendent

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- If you told me nearly 25 years ago I would deploy to Iraq or Afghanistan, be in danger of improvised explosive devices, snipers, artillery rounds and carry a weapon -- not only would I not have believed it, I would have laughed and said, "Are you crazy?"

Now, I carry with me the reality of deployed life and laugh only with the sound satisfaction of accomplishment for helping a nation in need.

At the time I enlisted in the Air Force, we were just winding down from the Cold War. After numerous operations around the world, we were confronted with the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks and the Global War on Terror. My fellow Airmen, I'm here to tell you: we're in the fight in a major way and we're doing good things!

It started in late 2007 with a nice Thanksgiving present: I received a deployment tasking to Kabul, Afghanistan to be the senior enlisted advisor to the Combined Air Power Transition Force. I was really excited to be selected, however I didn't have a clue about CAPFT nor its mission. I had less than a week to make sure all my training was complete, and thankfully I had just returned from a Fort Carson RED DEVIL exercise -- so I was ready for the Combat Skills Training/Air Advisory Training at Lackland AFB in Texas.

I consider myself a lucky Airman because I got to be with my husband and friends for the holidays before I left for Afghanistan. When I finally got to Kabul, I was given the unique opportunity -- or maybe it's not so unique anymore -- to work with a superb group of Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors and Marines, including members of our fellow coalition countries. I now fully understand that we are truly in a joint-service environment, and with that I had the challenge of learning how to speak the other services' lingo to be effective.

The CAPTF mission was to provide guidance to train, organize and equip the Afghan National Army Air Corps. No kidding, we set up everything from basic military training, technical training and professional military training.

There were many cultural challenges such as language, religion and education. Unlike Iraq, Afghanistan is the fourth poorest country in the world. The majority of the soldiers are illiterate and come from villages that don't have running water or electricity. When I wrote my 11-year-old niece and described how the children lived, she couldn't believe they didn't have TV or video games.

The Afghan people are very warm and endearing. I was worried about being a female Airman in a senior enlisted leadership position; however, I was treated as an equal to their senior noncommissioned officer soldiers and was quite relieved.

This was my fifth deployment and was the highlight of my Air Force career. Like the rest of you who have deployed, I missed my family, but I also felt I benefited and grew from the satisfaction of a rewarding mission.

I was eating lunch the other day and heard a couple of people talking. They were discussing how we should have bombed Afghanistan instead of sending our military men and women.

Personally, I was offended. The majority of the Afghan population wants to rebuild their country and have the same patriotic feelings we have about the U.S., but they can't do it alone. We're there not only to fight terror, but to establish a military force that is capable of protecting its population. Almost every house, building or street corner has the Afghan flag flying. Remember after Sept. 11 how our nation's flag was our country's symbol of a united country?

Now, I believe 25 years from now I will see what Afghanistan has become, and I will be proud to know I had a part in it.

(Editor's note: Chief Master Sgt. Cynthia Solomito was deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom from Jan. 12 - July 19, 2008. In peacetime, she is the superintendent for the 21st Mission Support Group, providing executive advice to the group commander and champions career development, morale, welfare and quality of life programs. She also advises the 21st Space Wing and associate unit commanders on high-interest personnel issues involving readiness and deployment policies, promotion recognition and evaluation programs, as well as, professional military education and training plans.)