Serving through the season: Senior Airman Lindsey Dawson

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Gene Lappe
  • 506th Air Expeditionary Group Public Affairs
KIRKUK AIR BASE, Iraq (AFPN) --  This holiday season, it will be a sure bet that Senior Airman Lindsey Dawson will be manning her desk in the base command post, the nerve center for the 506th Air Expeditionary Group.

Of course, like other Airmen serving around the globe, she'd rather be home with her family, and not deployed halfway around the world.

"Honestly, I would rather be at home with my husband, Adam and twin daughters, Miana and Briana, but serving my country is also very important to me," said the Columbus, Miss., native.

But she knows that isn't going to happen. She has a critical job as command post controller for the 506th Air Expeditionary Group command post.

Airman Dawson is responsible for providing command and control in the alerting and communication networking for the base, as well as following flight passenger and cargo missions for all Air Mobility Command aircraft at Kirkuk Air Base. So while people enjoy the Yuletide season, she will be here monitoring base activities.

"I am absolutely heartbroken that I am not going to be able to spend Christmas with my little girls and my husband," said the 2002 New Hope High School graduate. "I miss my family so much but I know that being over here is important to our country's freedom."

Airman Dawson said she will miss going to her grandmother's on Christmas Eve with her whole family and exchanging gifts. Instead she will be celebrating the holidays at work with friends and at the gym. She said having a Christmas party, decorating and having 12 days of Christmas events will help her get through the holidays.

Like Airmen deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, other world hot spots and across the nation during the holiday season, Airman Dawson knows about sacrifice. Airmen are warfighters. They are highly trained, skilled and valued members of the interdependent force fighting the war on terror. They are always ready to do their job -- whenever, wherever.

"My family has been very supportive while I have been here. They have sent me little Christmas presents, pictures of my girls, and the Air Force members are also doing their part," she said.

"I feel that being here is important to every American's freedom so that we can celebrate Christmas," she said. "I also feel that being here is my duty as an Airman in the military."

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