There I Was: 'Service with a smile' Published Dec. 15, 2011 By Senior Airman Reyna Cornett 6th Medical Group MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- I am a health services management craftsman, so being tasked to perform as a force protection escort and working with security forces was different but exciting. I volunteered to deploy to the second busiest Aerial Port of Debarkation in U.S. Central Command, 387th Expeditionary Support Squadron, Abdullah Al-Mubarak Air Base, Kuwait. I billeted at Ali Al Salem Air Base, then would convoy to Abdullah Al-Mubarak. At this location, I directly supported the movement of 163,000 passengers, 56,000 tons of cargo and 2,000 aircraft. I provided oversight for 1,000 third-country nationals, carried out 396 escort missions and 358 aircraft sweeps securing 78 square kilometers of flight line. I am very happy I volunteered for this deployment because it was a great learning experience which helped me grow, both as an Airman and individual. Getting to know and talk to third-country nationals was an eye-opening experience that allowed me to communicate with people from various backgrounds and religions. This deployment made me proud to say I am a United States Airman and I have done something to protect our wonderful country. It was a positive and rewarding deployment for me, with which, I hope everyone gets the opportunity to deploy.