45th APS

KANDAHAR AIR BASE, AFGHANISTAN -- Master Sgt. Khalid Ali, shown here accepting the Senior Noncommissioned Officer of the month award from Lt. Col. Steve Martinez, Commander, 451st Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron, during their Commander’s Call in February. Master Sgt. Ali is assigned to the 45th Aerial Port Squadron, Travis Air Force Base, and has been deployed to the air base which is located approximately 15 miles from the city of Kandahar. This air field was one of the most remote, landlocked and desolate places the U.S. military had ever tried to build a combat base. It made for a perfect hub for the coalition to go on missions into the mountains to battle the Taliban or perform reconstruction projects that range from digging a well for a village to setting the stage for national elections and ratifying a constitution. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Erica L. Thompson.)