Airmen bring air power to ‘most evil place’

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Russell Wicke
  • 455th Expeditionary Operations Group Public Affairs
SHKIN FIRE BASE, Afghanistan (AFPN) --  The sound of an incoming rocket is an everyday occurrence here. It is where being shot at before sunset is a typical expectation, and soldiers are always busy defending their ground from the enemy behind four mud walls. The Americans serving here are familiar with the loss of fallen comrades, and the area is often cited as the most evil place on the planet, according to Army Lt. Gen. John Vines, Combined Joint Task Force 180 commander.

In the face of such a grim environment, two airmen here offer hope as the Army’s most popular redeemers in perilous fire fights.

Staff Sgt. Travis Stricker and Airman 1st Class Justin Pilant, both deployed from the 20th Air Support Operations Squadron at Fort Drum, N.Y., are the tactical air control party troops assigned here. They are the only airmen among a sea of soldiers.

Their job is to maximize the amount of firepower on the battlefield by directing aircraft to enemy targets, according to Stricker.

“We’re the experts on air power for the Army,” Pilant said. “We use multiple tools to help us get our eyes on the enemy, mark them for the aircraft and lead the aircraft to that mark.”

Although the statement alone sounds simple, the airmen’s job here is much more complicated than that.

“We have to keep up with the Army infantry in the field,” Stricker said. “That gets very difficult when we’re carrying nearly 70 more pounds on our back than they are.”

Although they carry more gear, Stricker said it is important they blend in with the Army as much as possible. Removing chevrons from their sleeves is a command directive.

“We are specifically targeted by the enemy,” he said. “Mainly because they know if we are taken out of the picture, air power is delayed.”

Stricker said besides having to carry more than 100 pounds in radios and equipment, the area offers extra obstacles to their job.

“Shkin is very unpredictable,” said Stricker, who just recently finished fighting in Operation Iraqi Freedom. “On most battlefields, I usually have an idea of what I’m up against.”

He explained that in this area, which is right next to the Pakistan border, it is nearly impossible to distinguish an enemy soldier from a civilian until they shoot at the U.S. soldiers.

“Al-Qaida blends in with the population,” Stricker said. “So we don’t know who they are until they engage us. Most of our enemies are guerrilla fighters, using rocket-propelled grenades, mortars and small arms. By the time we can get eyes on them, they usually have already retreated into Pakistan.”

Stricker said the proximity of the Pakistani border complicates their ability to do their job. Pakistani casualties are treated as friendly-fire incidents.

Pilant also said they are threatened with suicide bombers and gunners.

“We recently lost two (people) who were approached by what appeared to be civilians,” Pilant said. “These guys concealed their guns in their clothes and approached peacefully, then opened fire unexpectedly.”

Despite all the challenges facing Stricker and Pilant, they said they are successful at what they do.

“Stricker and Pilant are fantastic,” said Army Capt. Eric Lopez, 10th Mountain Division Charlie Company commander here. “They always get their bombs right on target.”

“Fifty percent of the battle is getting our pilot’s eyes on us,” Stricker said. “Once we do that, we can guide him to the enemy with a coded laser, give the pilot a grid coordinate or mark it with artillery.”

Both airmen said the job is rewarding.

“It takes a special attitude to do this kind of work,” Pilant said. “It can be very unnerving in the heat of a firefight, but when you see an A-10 (Thunderbolt II) fly overhead, the enemy gets silent. By then it’s too late for them, and we get to see the bomb fall right on target. Most (airmen) never get to see things like this happen, even though all their efforts make it possible.”

Pilant explained when the bombs do hit, they know their enemy is destroyed, and it is almost like the two airmen are heroes to their Army brethren.