Airmen Give Leathernecks Some Shade

Members of the 777th Expeditionary Prime BEEF Squadron are erecting 10 canopy structures at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, to shield the first unit of Marine Corps F/A-18 fighters to be stationed there from the unforgiving Afghan sun. “We’re here to provide them with better facilities,” said SSgt. Daniel Wissmann, a 777th EPBS structural journeyman. Summer temperatures at Kandahar can exceed 120 degrees Fahrenheit. “Sometimes the sun makes the jets so hot that they’re too hot to work on,” said Lance Cpl. Drew Petti, an F/A-18 maintainer. Working under the canopies is expected to be about 30 degrees cooler. The Prime BEEF airmen expect to complete the project in November. “I like the fact that I’m improving the quality of life and helping others, especially those who put their lives on the line every day,” said Wissmann. (Kandahar report by SrA. Melissa B. White)