Face of Defense: Airman Brings Weapons Safety to Kabul

By Air Force Senior Master Sgt. George Thompson
386th Air Expeditionary Wing

SOUTHWEST ASIA, April 2, 2013 – Safety is a cornerstone of almost everything the Air Force does, and when it comes to weapons safety, one unsafe act could be the difference between life and death.

Air Force Tech. Sgt. Adam Albrecht inspects chaff and flare canisters at an undisclosed base in Southwest Asia, April 2, 2013. Albrecht recently returned from a forward deployment to Kabul, Afghanistan, where he provided weapons safety training to Afghan military members. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Master Sgt. George Thompson   (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available.

Air Force Tech. Sgt. Adam Albrecht, 386th Air Expeditionary Wing weapons safety noncommissioned officer, recently returned from a forward deployment to Kabul, Afghanistan, where he provided a capability the Afghans were lacking for more than two years.

"They hadn't had a weapons safety person in about two years, and they were starting to try and get an explosive mission to up their capabilities," Albrecht said. "[U.S. Air Forces Central] made them a site plan, but because they didn't have a qualified weapons safety person, they did not know what all the wording meant."

In addition to clarifying the explosive site plan, Albrecht also set up programs and provided weapons safety training.

"I took a lot of our program management things like explosive safety training, how to run a program, even how to do annual inspections," he said. "It's all the things we are required to do, but I really simplified everything."

As the transition in Afghanistan continues, Albrecht did his part to ensure the path is safe.

"They are trying to set up an Afghan air force, and they are trying to give them a culture of safety which they don't currently have," he said.

Albrecht gave U.S. advisors weapons safety programs and training they can tailor to meet the specific needs of the Afghans for a functioning weapons safety program.

"I briefed their safety office on the risk and the rewards of safety, and I pretty much gave them a plug-and-play program, so they should be pretty set," he said.

Albrecht said he knows his forward deployment to will help the Afghans continue to take the lead for their security and safety.

"I briefed their chief of safety on everything and let him know he can call me any time if he needs help," he said. "I believe I was able to get the main points of safety home by telling them, ‘This is what's in it for you, and this is how easy it is to be safe.’"