Fifteen Afghan air force members graduated from the A+ training course June 22, 2011, in Kabul, Afghanistan. The students are now capable of repairing desktop systems, troubleshooting, upgrading, configuring, installing and running overall basic network management processes. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Brian E. Christiansen)
Fifteen Afghan air force members graduated from the A+ training course June 22, 2011, in Kabul, Afghanistan. The students are now capable of repairing desktop systems, troubleshooting, upgrading, configuring, installing and running overall basic network management processes. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Brian E. Christiansen)
by Capt. Jamie Humphries
438th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
6/27/2011 - KABUL, Afghanistan (AFNS) -- Fifteen Afghan air force members from the Afghan Air Force Wing Communications Squadron graduated from the A+ computer training course here June 22.
Members of the Afghan air force and NATO Air Training Mission - Afghanistan were present, including Afghan Lt. Col. Mohammad Dawood, the Kabul Wing communications officer in charge of cryptology maintenance.
The course taught basic fundamentals in computer repair and networking. Upon graduation, the students are now capable of repairing desktop systems, troubleshooting, upgrading, configuring, installing and running overall basic network management processes.
Afghan air force network technicians graduated, with seven coming from the Kabul Wing communication squadron help desk and eight from the Afghan air force headquarters.
In total, the course lasted four months with students attending class five days a week with two days each week dedicated to practical hands-on sessions. Throughout the course, students were given knowledge-based tests they had to pass prior to graduating the course.
The course was Master Sgt. Tara Brown's brainchild. Sergeant Brown was killed April 27 while serving in an adviser role on the Afghan air force compound. Sergeant Brown was the student attendance administrator for the course.
"To graduate, the students were required to complete 160 hours of classroom instruction and demonstrate practical knowledge of all applicable equipment and operating procedures," said Master Sgt. Gabe Browning, from the 439th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron. Additionally, the students learned to work together towards one common goal and now have the satisfaction of accomplishment."
With completion of the course, officials said the training will now support the Afghan air force's future help desk and network management structure and help communications forces more effectively impact support in Afghan air force missions.
"After each person got their diploma, they would hold it over their head and say "I will do service for my country!" said Afghan Sgt. 1st Class Abdullah Wasi Haidery. I thought it was pretty cool."
According to advisers at the 438th Air Expeditionary Wing, the training received is crucial for improving, utilizing and maintaining their future computer network and most of that work was due to the efforts of Sergeant Brown.
"There isn't a day we don't think about her and her efforts here at the wing," said Sergeant Browning. "The skills and knowledge the students now have are because of Sergeant Tara Brown."
