917 SFS return from Manas AB, Kyrgyzstan

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Sherri Savant
  • 917th Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AFB, LA --  Many children anxiously gather around with hands outstretched to take hold of a small piece of the ribbon, cut only moments earlier when their new school playground was dedicated.

Standing over them with handfuls of that ribbon was the Wing's own Tech. Sgt. Tony Turner, who was one of 13 917th Security Forces Squadron members deployed to the children's homeland, Kyrgyzstan, from Feb. 14 to Aug. 25.

In their off time, Sergeant Turner and his team chose to "give something back" to the poverty-stricken area just outside the fence line by designing and constructing a playground--one much appreciated by the locals.

"We had kids walking three to four miles from surrounding villages just to come play on the playground," Sergeant Turner said. "Seeing them enjoy what we did for them...that was probably the most memorable thing for me."

The 917 SFS departed Barksdale in late January for Silver Flag Alpha, two weeks of training prior to deployment. They arrived, in country, on Valentine's Day.

Their mission while there was to secure the interior and exterior perimeters of Manas (pronounced Man As') AB, in addition to working at the armory and the vehicle search area at the main gate of the base.

"There was always the threat of a terrorist cell attacking you, and we were always postured for that to happen," Sergeant Turner said. "But on any given day, if you had time, you could go off base and go shopping or horseback riding."

"One day you're sitting in a humvee with a weapon guarding a fence line, and the next, you're sitting on a horse up in the mountains looking at some of the most beautiful country in the world," he said.

Deployments like this one are never successful without some sacrifice personally or professionally, however.

For Sergeant Turner, a single parent, it meant sacrificing his entire summer visit with his children. Tragedy struck his family mid-tour also, when his sister lost all four of her children in a house fire.

Professionally, the trip to Manas was his first as a team leader.

"I thought I was prepared, as an NCO, to lead this team forward," Sergeant Turner said. "I learned real quick that you're never prepared for things that are thrown at you. These guys gave me some very unique challenges, so I had to learn as I went."

"You're in a deployed environment. Bullets weren't flying while we were there, but that didn't mean they couldn't fly the next day. I had a team of very young Airmen, so that was very challenging."

But with the challenge, came growth in his ability as an NCO, Sergeant Turner said.

The team came out on top, he said. "When we left, the commanders there praised us for being the best team on the ground in lieu of all the challenges we faced. I would redeploy with this team anytime, anywhere. I would love the opportunity to be their team leader again."

"There are definitely sacrifices," he said, "but there is something to be said about the pride you feel when you get done. I raised my hand and took an oath to defend my country, and when the opportunity presents itself, I'll step up to do it. I can't sit back and let someone else go."