From the Frontlines: Staff Sgt. Brian Haverkamp Published Oct. 18, 2010 By Senior Airman Jason Barebo 509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. -- Deployments come and go for many Airmen at Whiteman. Sometimes they change and sometimes they remain the same. After completing two previous deployments to Kuwait, performing convoy duty to more than 30 forward-operating-bases in Iraq, Staff Sgt. Brian Haverkamp's last deployment in support of the Air Force Central Command mission was a welcome change of pace. "I had a choice when the listings came down," the 509th Logistics Readiness Squadron vehicle dispatcher and operator said. "It was either convoys in Iraq for the third time or Afghanistan base support. I wanted something new and different so I picked Afghanistan." While deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan, the Air Force Global Strike Command Airman was also a vehicle dispatcher and operator for the 451st Expeditionary LRS, similar to his duty here. Being qualified to operate different vehicles, the Remsen, Iowa, native made tractor-trailer runs, forklift runs, wrecker runs, aircrew runs and any other requests that came to his office. Daily tasks varied for Sergeant Haverkamp and his fellow Airmen. Some days were filled with silence while during others they were hauling hundreds of pounds of cargo back-and-forth, towing broke down or wrecked vehicles or answering other emergency calls. While his home station mission had similarities to his deployed one, Sergeant Haverkamp had to work through the addition of a variety of ground attacks on the installation. The installation sustained ground attacks, more than 10 suicide bombers and more than 80 rocket attacks during his six and a half month tour. According to the staff sergeant some of the rocket attacks hit the vehicle yard he was working in. "This last deployment was definitely a change of pace," Sergeant Haverkamp said. "It was more calm and a completely different environment."