NCO provides communication support in Iraq Published Oct. 19, 2010 By Susan Griggs 81st Training Wing Public Affairs KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- Master Sgt. Michael Estensen celebrates 21 years in the Air Force this month on deployment at Joint Base Balad, Iraq, with the 362nd Electronic Reconnaissance Squadron. Sergeant Estensen has been the software development program manager for the 81st Training Support Squadron since February 2008. It's his second Keesler assignment-- he served as an instructor in the 333rd and 336th Training Squadrons from 1998 to 2004. Deployment is nothing new to Sergeant Estensen. He supported Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm in Qatar fromAugust 1990 to March 1991. During Operation Provide Comfort, he was deployed to Turkey, for four months. He was in Somalia from July-November 1993 in support of Operation Restore Hope. He also supported Operation Iraqi Freedom with two deployments to MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.--from September 2005 to January 2006 with U.S. Central Command and June to November 2007 with Special Operations Command Central. Sergeant Estensen's current deployment began May 27. He expects to return home in late November or early December. During his current deployment, Sergeant Estensen is responsible for communication support and security and serves as the support flight superintendent. He conducts operations checks, troubleshoots problems and loads current cryptographic keying material on all controlled cryptographic equipment on aircraft prior to missions. He issues communication kits to aircrew prior to departure and manage frequency allocations and updates radios as required. He also monitor communications of aircrew on missions via classified chat to provide requested support. He manages and maintains cryptographic keying material including effective dates, issuing and destruction. He provide communications security management support to exploitation cells throughout the area of responsibility and ensures full motion video is collected and distributed to intelligence analysts. His job performance earned him his squadron's Tuskegee senior noncommissioned officer for September. The biggest challenge for him on this deployment has been "learning to work directly with and understanding aircrew, their operations and the operations group." Sergeant Estensen's most memorable moment so far happened on July 17, his son Dakota's 15th birthday. He flew a combat mission on an MC-12W to observe aircrew's interaction/use with communications equipment. The MC-12W is the Air Force's only manned intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft. It was developed in less than a year and flown for the first time in combat in 2009. "I took an American Flag on board and had the flag and certificate signed by the four aircrew members and myself to present to my son." Sergeant Estensen said the base's support facilities are similar to those found on any permanent Air Force base. "We have a 24-hour fitness facility, indoor and outdoor pools, chapel, education center, movie theater and exchange," Sergeant Estensen said. "Airmen are housed in dormitories, typically four to a room. Containerized housing units provide housing, usually two to a room for NCOs and most company grade officers, with the exception of first sergeants and those on year-long tours who don't have roommates." Sergeant Estensen uses Skype to stay in touch with Dakota, who lives in Arizona, as well as his wife, Gessica; his 12-year-old stepdaughter, Katlyn Foster; and his 7-yearold son, Zachary. "But since I haven't been deployed overseas since the mid '90s, I've gained a better understanding and can relate to what our current generation of Airmen and their families experience during deployment and can relay expectations and sources of support," ne noted.