Oklahoma Guardsman, AAR Aviation employee deploys to Afghanistan

Courtesy Photo | Air Guard Master Sgt. Daniel Smith, an aircraft painter for AAR Aircraft Services in Oklahoma City is currently deployed to Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, as the first sergeant for the 455th Expeditionary Operations Group, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.  

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, AFGHANISTAN

05.24.2006

Courtesy Story

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Photo by Sgt. 1st Class David McCrary, ESGR Forward Team
Story by Spc. Jennifer Sardam, ESGR Forward Team

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Air Guard Master Sgt. Daniel L. Smith is currently deployed to Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, in the role of first sergeant to the 455th Expeditionary Operations Group. Smith is serving in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, the official name given to military operations from Afghanistan to the Horn of Africa in support of the Global War on Terror.

Despite the challenges of being far from home and family, Smith said 'taking care of the people here" as the first sergeant has made his time away easier.

Active duty and reserve component members from all branches of the U.S. armed forces are deployed under the U.S. Central Command to support the war against global terrorism outside the borders of the United States. The unified command of USCENTCOM is responsible for U.S. security interests and assets in 27 nations stretching from the Horn of Africa, through the Arabian Gulf region, and into Central Asia.

When he is stateside, Smith is the first sergeant of the 185th Operations Support Flight in Oklahoma City. With almost 28 years in the military, this is Smith's fourth deployment overseas. In his civilian occupation, the master sergeant is an aircraft painter at Will Rogers Airport in Oklahoma City for AAR Aircraft Services of Oklahoma, where he has worked for eight years.

The support of Smith's civilian employer is what enables him to focus more readily on the mission. "Every year they send a letter in appreciation of what we [in the military] do and also a gift card with the letter," he stated. "They're a supportive company." Smith added that they also stay in communication with his wife.

Today, more than 1.2 million members of the National Guard and Reserve continue to perform an increasing number of unique missions that require extraordinary actions on the part of everyday citizens. Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) is the primary resource for information about the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, commonly known as USERRA. This federal law allows Smith and other mobilized reserve component members to retain their rights, when the deployment concludes.

Established in 1972, Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), a DoD agency, provides free USERRA education, consultation, and if necessary, mediation for employers of Guard and Reserve employees. The mission of ESGR is to gain and maintain active support from all public and private employers for the men and women of the National Guard and Reserve. More information about ESGR Employer Outreach Programs and volunteer opportunities is available at www.esgr.mil, or by calling the National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve at [phone].

Smith, who calls Tuttle, Okla., home, has been married to his wife Denise for almost 19 years.

ESGR

• Date Taken: 05.24.2006
• Date Posted: 05.24.2006 10:11
• Story ID: 6501
• Location: BAGRAM AIR FIELD, AF