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Commander offers deployment advice

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Esther Willett
  • Air Force District of Washington Public Affairs
JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Maryland --  A commander who recently returned from a yearlong deployment in Afghanistan shares about his experience, and advises Airmen on how to overcome deployment challenges. 

Deployed to Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, Col. Scott Campbell immediately took command of the 451st Expeditionary Operations Group. Four months later, he took command of the 451st Air Expeditionary Group where he directed the activities of 1,100 Airmen and contractors for his remaining eight months in country.

Those Airmen proved to be the highlight of Campbell's deployment.

"I was amazed every day I was around each of them to see an unmatched level of expertise, commitment and professionalism," Campbell said. "Watching our Airmen tackle huge challenges every day without skipping a beat and asking for more.  They ground it out working 12+ hour days, 7 days a week and they never complained -- they just worked to accomplish our mission."

Being away from his family was what Campbell missed most during his year away.

"My one year old son learned to walk and began to talk, and my other son learned to read and ride a bike," Campbell shared. "My wife took care of both of them while completing a fellowship at the Atlantic Council; she's amazing."

The commander wants his experience to contribute to others. Airmen can take a few steps to overcome eminent challenges in a deployed environment, Campbell said.

First, prepare for uncertainty. "Things will change during the course of your deployment, if not before," Campbell said. "Understand your mission and your individual responsibilities and execute them to the best of your ability and do not get caught up in that uncertainty and the inevitable rumors." 

Second, rely on those around you. "Rely your chain of command for the ground truth and focus on the mission," Campbell said. "Rely on your peers who have been there for a few months to help develop a battle rhythm.  Once you develop a battle rhythm that suits you, your deployment will fly by." 

Finally, establish and lean on your home support network. "These days, even in Afghanistan there is excellent connectivity that will allow you to maintain close contact with family and friends.  Use that network to stay connected and relieve stress," Campbell said.