KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – Less than six weeks after arriving in Afghanistan, the Hawaii Army National Guard’s 117th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment has Kandahar Province covered.

Posted on Jun 15, 2012 in Main
U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Brendan Mackie, photojournalist with the Hawaii Army National Guard's 117th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, photographs from the back of a Stryker fighting vehicle during Operation Buffalo Thunder II in Shorabak district, Kandahar province, Afghanistan, June 27, 2012. Mackie is from Delaware City, Del. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Brendan Mackie/Released)
U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Brendan Mackie, photojournalist with the Hawaii Army National Guard’s 117th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment, photographs from the back of a Stryker fighting vehicle during Operation Buffalo Thunder II in Shorabak district, Kandahar province, Afghanistan, June 27, 2012. Mackie is from Delaware City, Del. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Brendan Mackie/Released)

Coverage you can count on in Afghanistan: 117th MPAD

By  Sgt. 1st Class Erick Studenicka

117th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan – Less than six weeks after arriving in Afghanistan, the Hawaii Army National Guard’s 117th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment has Kandahar Province covered.

The unit’s 20 Soldiers are working in six disparate offices across the province providing both print and broadcast coverage of military operations and activities in the region as control of security continues to transition from NATO to Afghan forces.

The unit’s staffers have already contributed more than 100 segments, articles and photos to the Defense Video and Imagery Distribution System. The combined products have been viewed by more than 7,000 DVIDs users. The unit staffers’ images and writing has appeared in numerous media across the country, including multiple Freedom Watch Update segments on the Armed Forces Network.

“The Soldiers in the unit hit the ground running in Afghanistan and immediately began producing quality products in a timely manner,” said 117th MPAD 1st Sgt. Stephanie Hika. “The unit is already making a name for itself throughout the region for its thorough coverage of military operations in this area as Afghan security forces assume command and control of security in the province.”

The 117th is working for the 82nd Airborne Division and Regional Command-South during its nine month deployment. About half of the unit’s Soldiers resides at Kandahar Airfield where they staff the Media Support Center and work in the regional command’s public affairs and joint operations offices.

Other Soldiers are manning public affairs offices and reporting from satellite forward operating bases throughout the province, including Tarin Kowt, Lagman, Spin Boldak and Masum Ghar.

“We are fortunate to be at the front lines while history is being made with the current transition of the command and control of security forces to the Afghan government,” Hika said. “In addition to covering the events and activities in this region, we are also going to display our Aloha spirit and make new friends throughout our deployment.”

The unit, which deploy in 2005 to Afghanistan for a year, is set to return to Hawaii in February 2013.

All are welcome to track the 117th’s deployment on Facebook. Visit www.facebook.com  and search for 117MPAD.