Afghanistan AEF 2012
Lieutenant Colonel Michael Rose, a fighter pilot assigned to the 157th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, prepares to launch an F-16 Fighting Falcon for a mission June 7, 2012. Personnel are deployed from McEntire Joint National Guard Base, S.C., in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Swamp Fox F-16's, pilots, and support personnel began their Air Expeditionary Force deployment early April to take over flying missions for the air tasking order and provide close air support for troops on the ground in Afghanistan.