Airman welcomed to Afghanistan by father

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman William O'Brien
  • Joint Task Force 435
Kabul International Airport --  Coming off an Air Force C-130 Hercules at Kabul International Airport Aug. 15, it seemed like the end of a long journey to Afghanistan for an exhausted communication specialist arriving on his first deployment. But as he walked up to his luggage he noticed a familiar person waiting to greet him, his dad, who is also deployed to Afghanistan.

Senior Master Sgt. George Curnutt, Joint Task Force 435 J-2 superintendent, who is in the last weeks of his final deployment, took part in the convoy to KAIA to pick up several newly arriving JTF-435 Airmen after learning his son would be on the same flight. Although the younger Curnutt will be assigned to ISAF, the trip to KAIA gave him a chance to surprise his son, Airman 1st Class Shane Curnutt, as he arrived for his first deployment from Luke Air Force Base.

"I was surprised to see him here," Airman Curnutt said, who is a network operations technician from the 56th Communications Squadron. "I knew he was stationed close to here, but he never mentioned being here when I arrived."

Although this will be Airman Curnutt's first trip here in the military, Sergeant Curnutt who is deployed from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, said his son is well traveled and has been here before.

"He's been to Afghanistan before," explained the 20-year veteran. "He came and spent six months over in Bagram, Manas and Kuwait already when he worked for the Army Air Force Exchange Service."

However, Sergeant Curnutt said knowing his son had experience coming over here as an affiliate of AAFES, he tailored the advice he gave him to help with things that he may not have encountered over here with AAFES.

"He's already done this (travel) before," explained the senior master sergeant. "So being that he's a world traveler already, I didn't have to give him a whole lot of advice. It was more along the lines of things he needs to bring and what he can expect when he arrives and that kind of stuff to relieve the anxiety."

Sergeant Curnutt has been able to give his son a lot of advice and ease his concerns, according to Airman Curnutt.

"I had unanswered questions and wasn't sure who to turn to and he's been able to put my mind at ease when it comes to things like that."

The senior NCO said his son compares favorably to him, but is like the newer, improved model.

"We are the same in many ways," said Sergeant Curnutt. "He joined the Air Force at the same age I did. He's like I was at age 21 only better. So he's kind of like me, version 2.0."

Sergeant Curnutt said he has many feelings about his son joining the military and coming to Afghanistan. Airman Curnutt on the other hand, is just happy to be here.

"I heard about him deploying from his mom," Sergeant Curnutt said. "But, when I (first) found out he was enlisting I was way more shocked than I was to hear about this. But I'm proud of him. Not simply because he's deployed. I'm proud of him for what he's doing for his country, both here and in America, but at the same time I'm worried about him, because he is over here."

Deployment is a little bit surreal, according to Airman Curnutt.

"I'm glad to be here and it's really just a relief to have all the traveling out of the way."