148th Civil Engineers Depart for Afghanistan

  • Published
  • By Maj. Audra Flanagan
  • 148FW MN ANG
DULUTH, Minn. --  Family and friends gathered on a chilly Duluth morning to say good-bye to the first wave of civil engineers who are departing for the 455th Air Expedition Wing at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. The civil engineers will be deployed for approximately 6-months. They plan to build and repair roads and airfield surfaces as well as maintain buildings and provide utilities at Bagram Airfield.

Civil Engineering Squadron Commander, Lt. Col. Scott Chambers who will deploy within a few weeks said "It's been a tough morning. Exciting. Nerve-wracking. Emotionally draining; after a lot of planning and preparation we just launched a good portion of our Civil Engineering troops".

The 455th Air Expeditionary Wing at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan provides close air support, combat search rescue, aerial intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and airlift capabilities to U.S. and coalition forces supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. In conjunction with Combined Joint Task Force-82, the 455th AEW is working to secure the future of Afghanistan for the Afghan people. Bagram is located in the Parwan Province southeast of the city of Charikar and north of Kabul.