PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti, - Two Air National Guard officers will participate in a conference this week to discuss the way-ahead for civil aviation in Haiti.
Lt. Cols. Mike Dunkin and Craig Bradford, who both played instrumental roles in the re-opening of the airport here, are two of four Air Force representatives scheduled to be at the Western Hemisphere Conference for Haitian and Civil Aviation, to be held in Miami.
Organized by the Federal Aviation Administration, other attendees at the conference include the United Nations' International Civil Aviation Organization, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and Haitian civil aviation officials.
For Bradford, commander of the 118th Civil Engineering Squadron of the Tennessee National Guard, it's a chance to play a role in the future of aviation in Haiti.
"It's an honor to go and present to everyone our recommendations on how to improve civil aviation (in Haiti)," said Bradford. "Right now, the International Civil Aviation Organization, a U.N. organization that manages civil aviation across the world, is coming in here to re-certify the airport for Port au Prince.
"We've been here working hand-in-hand to get that re-certification so they can resume receiving aircraft from across the world."
Aviation, said Bradford, is key to Haiti's future.
"Civil aviation is one of the few revenue-producing industries for Haiti and to get that back up and in operation has been critical to the country," he said. "That's why Feb. 19 (when the airport was re-opened to commercial air traffic) was so important to get money flying back into Haiti as soon as possible."
Both Bradford and Dunkin are representing the Air Force, because their teams had a significant role at the Port au Prince airport in the weeks after the earthquake.
Dunkin, who is a member of the 245th Air Traffic Control Squadron of the South Carolina Air Guard, led the team of air traffic controllers, who took over the air traffic control mission from Air Force combat controllers, who established communications at the airport.
Meanwhile, Bradford was in charge of the civil engineering squadron largely responsible for rebuilding much of the infrastructure of the airport facilities.
"Lt. Col. Dunkin, myself, and a few others, before the 19th of February, had been running this airport," said Bradford. "We've been working hand-in-hand with the Haitians and that has been very rewarding.
"The Haitians that we've dealt with and been working with have been very dedicated and care very deeply for their country and want to see everyone succeed, and that includes civilian aviation."