Afghan children visit Kandahar, see partnership between Afghans, coalition forces

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Angelique N. Smythe
  • 451st Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan --  More than 200 Afghan children from local Kandahar City schools visited the Afghan National Army Air Corps on Kandahar Airfield Dec. 31 to see hangars, helicopters and other items operated by the ANAAC.

As an added bonus, they received backpacks that contained school supplies and candy that had been donated by a number of individuals and organizations.

Members of the ANAAC and Air Force mentors assigned to the 438th Expeditionary Training Group, Command Kandahar and the 451st Air Expeditionary Wing greeted the children in the ANAAC hangar.

The goal was to show them the overall picture of the partnership between coalition forces and Afghan military members working together.

"We collected school supplies all year long and wanted to present them to the children to show that we are in partnership with the air wing here and with the future of Afghanistan - which is the children of Afghanistan," said Col. Mark Nichols, 438th Air Expeditionary Training Group commander.

Each student had an opportunity to explore a Mi-17 helicopter, take in a view of the flightline, and watch a demonstration of powerful water shooting from a fire truck. The fire truck had the students scrambling back into the hangar as they ran away from being showered with water and then in awe as they stared at the rainbows it created. They also watched two Mi-17 helicopters land right in front of the hangar where they stood.

With the assistance of other Airmen and Soldiers, key military officials, such as Maj. Gen. Abduhl Raziq Sherzai, commander of the ANAAC, and Air Commodore Malcolm Brecht, commander of Kandahar Airfield, and Colonel Nichols, placed bookbags on the backs of each student. More than 200 bookbags were filled with school supplies that were donated by American citizens.

Dr. Charles E. Merkel, Jr., 451st AEW historian, also added a truckload of several boxes of school supplies and candy that had been donated by groups and individuals from the United States and by Airmen from within the 451st AEW.  Dr. Merkel is a civilian deployed from the 53rd Wing at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. 

"Everybody received a bag, and that was important," he said, "and everybody looked happy when they left. This will make the people back home very happy because they'll know that the donations went to the children."

The Afghan children were able to speak with members of the coalition forces through interpreters. They were asked questions, such as their names, age, and what they enjoyed during the day. Even if there weren't enough interpreters to go around, a smile and a high-five between the children and servicemembers went a long way as many of them posed for pictures together.

When asked what he enjoyed most at the end of his trip, 10-year-old Abdullah said he loved the helicopter. Abdullah, who spoke a small amount of English, said he hopes to become an engineer when he grows up because he wants to make a street for all of Afghanistan.

Nine-year-old Hamida, who's in third grade, said she wants to become a police officer.

"These are the key things that help show the people of Afghanistan that our partnership is truly a partnership," Colonel Nichols said. "The security forces of Afghanistan are helping them understand more of about what they do and showing them that they're here to secure their freedom and make it safe for their families."