Air Marshal Barbora visits Leh Air Force Station

Chandigarh, Mar 5 (UNI) Air Marshal P K Barbora, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief (AOC-in-C) Western Air Command visited Leh Air Force Station yesterday.

The Air Marshal's visit at Leh, which happens to be the highest operational base in the world, was aimed at improving the morale of the forces, particularly at a time when this winter was the harshest in the last 35 years.

The AOC-in-C was particularly appreciative of the undaunted effort put in by the air warriors in keeping the air base fully operational despite it being covered with nearly 18 inches of snow.

''These men had fought against all odds in clearing the runway and the base of hard ice and snow so that the life line formed by the air bridge created by the IL 76's continues,'' he said.

The Air Marshal, who was accompanied by his wife Ms Arundhati Barbora, President, Air Force Wives Welfare Association (AFWWA)-Regional, inspected the station and met all the personnel.

Thereafter, he visited various posts on the glacier and met the personnel who braved the extreme cold to ensure that the helicopters continued flying safely on the glacier.

Air Marshal Barbora also visited far flung areas which were being manned by the air warriors and the personnel of the Leh station.

UNI PS AKJ HT1700