Airman, Dad Reunite in Afghanistan

Defend America News ^ | Jan 24, 2006 | Senior Airman Sasha A. Schmidt

[SandRat]

David Ahlstrom (left) and his son, U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Alex Ahlstrom, take advantage of the opportunity to spend time together during the airman's deployment to Afghanistan.  Mr. Ahlstrom is employed as a civilian contractor for Management Technologies, Inc. Airman Ahlstrom is deployed from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. Photo courtesy Combined Joint Task Force 76.
David Ahlstrom and U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Alex Ahlstrom
Airman, Dad Reunite in Afghanistan
By U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Sasha A. Schmidt American Forces Network Afghanistan BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan, Jan. 24, 2006 — Call it luck. Call it coincidence. Either way, an A-10 crew chief for the 455th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron is getting a chance to spend most of his off-duty time with someone he's known since he was born - his dad. Deployed from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Alex Ahlstrom, began his tour of duty here as part of Air and Space Expeditionary Force 7/8, while his dad, David Ahlstrom, was notified of a job opening in Afghanistan. "I'd wanted to go overseas for a while," said Mr. Ahlstrom, who works as an Army contactor here. "When I found out my son was over here, it was even more tempting to jump at this opportunity." The company Mr. Ahlstrom works for -- Management Technologies, Inc. -- has five locations throughout Afghanistan. When he was told he was being assigned to the one at Bagram, he soon realized a reunion with his son would be within reach. "Before I left Fayetteville, [N.C.], I found out my son was at Bagram, and I knew that he worked on A-10s," Mr. Ahlstrom said. "After I got settled in, I went and found his flight commander and told her that my son, Airman Ahlstrom, was under her command." Mr. Ahlstrom was taken to his son's room, giving Airman Ahlstrom the "shock of a lifetime." "When you get a knock on your door in the middle of the night and it's the other flight chief, the first thing that comes to your mind is 'Oh my gosh, did I have a tool in my pocket?	That's what I thought," Airman Ahlstrom said. "I got up. I looked around and wondered what to do? The next thing I know, my big dad walks in."  Now that father and son have found each other, they're spending as much time together as they can before Airman Ahlstrom's tour here ends.  "Usually we try to make it a habit to go to his [Airman Ahlstrom's] place," Mr. Ahlstrom said. "Every Sunday night, we meet up and call home to the family, spending about a half an hour to 45 minutes, talking to everybody. It's great." Airman Ahlstrom is happy his dad had the chance to come to Afghanistan. Even though his rotation is almost up, he said having his dad around has made his time here go by faster. "I feel more secure about being out here," Airman Ahlstrom said. "Having your dad in a place like this just brings a better sense of hominess. "My dad's one of those guys that inspires people around him no matter what, and just to see him out here in this kind of environment by himself is neat. I've always wondered what it would be like. This is my chance." Mr. Ahlstrom said being with his son in Afghanistan is a reward in itself. "I thought that it was a real nice opportunity for me to bond with my son as man-to-man rather than father-to-son," Mr. Ahlstrom said. "He has made the choices in his life that would make his parents happy. That has just made me so proud.  I just can't say enough about how proud I am of my son."

[SandRat]

News on an Arizona Airman and his Dad meeting in Afghanistan

[bnelson44]

One very lucky Dad!

[E.G.C.]

BTTT

[mylife]

Quite a family