Driving Success: UFG Airman supports exercise with a smile Published Aug. 24, 2017 By Senior Airman Jacob Skovo 7th Air Force Public Affairs OSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea -- For many, arriving at temporary duty station in a new location can be stressful and disorienting. One ground transportation Airman, deployed to Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea, to support exercise Ulchi Freedom Guardian from Kadena Air Base’s 18th Logistics Readiness Squadron in Japan, is using his comedic attitude and position as a shuttle driver to lift UFG augmentee’s spirits. In a clean Air Force uniform with rolled jacket sleeves Senior Airman Darren Kimura greets his his first passengers of the day at 5 a.m. with a friendly smile. The driver is a member of the group responsible for setting up and providing many types of support to the residents of Osan’s life support area, Rush Park, where more than 600 augmentees will live during UFG. Kimura is one of a six person transportation team, gathered from Kadena and Yakota Air Bases and Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. The group is responsible for shuttling the residents of the LSA to and from their new work stations 24 hours a day. With his dark eyes on the road, Kimura cracks jokes and brightens the atmosphere on the bus to keep the drive from being another stale ride to work or the dining facility. “I don’t want anyone getting depressed while here,” Kimura said. “Because we’re all in the same situation, being away from our home, family and friends, I think it’s important to stay upbeat and get to know each other.” Along with keeping a friendly environment on his bus Kimura shares useful information and offers a tour, during the normal bus route, to new passengers. He points out base facilities and services that aren’t directly along the bus route and encourages riders to use them to enjoy their free time to the fullest. “When I got to Osan I had no idea where any of the buildings were on base,” said Senior Airman Kim Huston, an Air Intelligence Squadron intelligence analyst deployed from Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, to support UFG. “Kimura’s tour gave me an idea of where I needed to go and helped me make good use of my time.” Keeping customers entertained and happy on their way to or from a long shift isn’t just for fun. Being able to quickly move large amounts of personnel on time speeds up mission response time. Enabling UFG to run smoothly, allows Airmen, Soldiers and Marines participating in the exercise to form a cohesive team with U.S. allies and partners as they perform drills to defend the Korean Peninsula with precision. “If participating in an exercise can help keep families safe I feel that it’s needed,” Kimura said. “My family and friends are very important to me, so if I can contribute to the effort in even a simple way like driving a bus it’s worth it to me.”