Airmen make combat milestone while supporting Coalition operations in Afghanistan

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan - Taking the fight to the enemy, Airmen here hit a major milestone July 8 when they completed their 2,000th combat mission in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.  The aircrew on-board the EC-130H Compass Call provided direct support to Coalition ground forces in Afghanistan.

The Airmen are assigned to the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing's 41st Expeditionary Electronic Combat Squadron and are deployed from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz.

The mission was like any other, according to Air Force Capt. Kelly Weber, a Compass Call pilot from Ft. Worth, Texas.  "It was a very rewarding mission," he said while not discussing the exact details of the mission due to operational security.

Often called a "Super-E" model, some of the EC-130H aircraft are more than 40 years old.  The aircraft's electronics disrupt enemy command and control and are often used to attack hostile communications. 

"We're a small community with a small inventory of aircraft," said Squadron Commander Air Force Lt. Col. Chris Kirschman.  "We're 100 percent committed to the mission and this couldn't get done without our great maintainers on the ground."

The three crewmembers discussing the mission, none of whom were in the Air Force on Sept. 11, 2001, weren't even aware that it was such a monumental flight. 

It was almost "routine," said Air Force Staff Sgt. Ashley House, from Portsmouth Va., as Airmen from around the world are in the skies and on the ground supporting operations here.

The mission was about seven hours and supporting the Coalition forces was "very rewarding," said Air Force 1st Lt. Lori Brophy, an electronic warfare officer, from Raymond, Neb.  "They're very professional and know what capabilities we bring to the fight."