KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- Chief Petty Officer William Kettle, 30th Naval Construction Regiment builder, traces gusset plates on plywood donated by the Canadian forces. Kettle is one of the Seabees who volunteered to build the school that reopened Jan. 21, 2012. (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Passion Julinsey) KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- Staff Sgt. Curtis Sidbury, 809th Expeditionary RED HORSE Squadron structural engineer, cuts out wall studs at the construction site for the bazaar school Dec. 18, 2011. The 809th ERHS led the bazaar school rebuilding effort to reopen the school in January 2012. (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Passion Julinsey) KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- The artwork of Afghan boys attending the Kandahar Airfield bazaar school is on display in the classroom. Though the building was partially destroyed in October 2011, the artwork remained intact. (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Passion Julinsey) KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- Maj. Brenda Owen, 651st Air Expeditionary Evacuation Squadron flight nurse, watches an Afghan boy write in his notebook at the Kandahar Airfield bazaar school Dec. 17, 2011. Owen volunteers at the school regularly by making crafts and helping the Afghan boys with their English lessons. (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Passion Julinsey) KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- Blocks of wood donated by the departing Canadian forces become the foundation of the new bazaar school. Volunteers from the 809th Expeditionary RED HORSE Squadron, 30th Naval Construction Regiment and 422nd Expeditionary Signal Battalion rebuilt the school that reopened Jan. 21, 2012. (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Passion Julinsey) KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- Volunteers from the 809th Expeditionary RED HORSE Squadron and 30th Naval Construction Regiment lift up a wall for the bazaar school Dec. 18, 2011. The new bazaar school reopened Jan. 21, 2012. (U.S. Air Force photo by Capt. Passion Julinsey) KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- Afghan children line up to receive soccer outfits and shoes from Lt. Col. Patrick Verdon, Tactical Air Control Center liaison officer, at the Kandahar Airfield bazaar school Jan. 21, 2012. Verdon conducted a drive for the donated items from his Morristown, N.J. soccer club. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. David Carbajal) KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- Netherlands Col. Kees Marselis, Kandahar Airfield chief of staff, speaks to the attendees and bazaar school children during the bazaar school ribbon-cutting ceremony at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan Jan. 21, 2012. Volunteers from the 809th Expeditionary RED HORSE Squadron rebuilt the school after the school burned down in October 2011. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. David Carbajal) KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- Netherlands Col. Kees Marselis, Kandahar Airfield chief of staff, applauds the bazaar school children for continuing their education and wishes them a prosperous future during the bazaar school ribbon-cutting ceremony at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan Jan. 21, 2012. More than 50 children attend the bazaar school every Saturday to learn about all school subjects. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. David Carbajal) KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- Netherlands Col. Kees Marselis, Kandahar Airfield chief of staff, applauds a young Afghan boy for cutting the ribbon of the new bazaar school during the ceremony at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan Jan. 21, 2012. Volunteers from the 809th Expeditionary RED HORSE Squadron rebuilt the school after the school burned down in October 2011. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. David Carbajal) KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- A credit board is on display after the bazaar school ribbon-cutting ceremony at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan Jan. 21, 2012. Volunteers from the 809th Expeditionary RED HORSE Squadron rebuilt the school after the school burned down in October 2011. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. David Carbajal) KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- Staff Sgt. David Medina, 451st Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, runs after a loose ball during the weekly soccer game against the bazaar school children at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan Jan. 21, 2012. Volunteers from various 451st Air Expeditionary Wing units play against the children every week to promote physical fitness and camaraderie. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. David Carbajal) KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- Airmen from the 451st Air Expeditionary Wing play soccer against the bazaar school children at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan Jan. 21, 2012. In a friendly game between the two teams, the 451st AEW team won 1-0. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. David Carbajal) KAF community unites to rebuild bazaar school by Capt. Passion Julinsey 451st Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs 1/30/2012 - KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan  -- A community of volunteers built the bazaar school in 2009 and united again in December 2011 to rebuild one of the buildings burned down in October 2011. According to Kandahar Airfield Command Sgt. Maj. Michael Shirley, volunteers from coalition forces erected one building in July 2009 to be used as a classroom for the boys of the bazaar's vendors. As the number of boys grew, there arose a need to separate the age groups and by May 2010 the Slovakian army and the 22nd Naval Construction Regiment had expanded the school to two buildings. The school serviced up to 75 students each Saturday. In October 2011 a fire destroyed the older of the two buildings and partially burned the newer building, grinding classroom instruction to a halt. It was not long before the spirit of volunteerism manifested among the base population. Within days, Shirley solicited volunteers base wide to tear down the damaged structure. Service members and civilians, including those from the 451st Air Expeditionary Wing, stepped up to the challenge of clearing the charred wood and pile of ashes. "I want to be here from the ground up," said Tech. Sgt. Christopher Davis, 809th Expeditionary RED HORSE Squadron airborne structural craftsman. He recruited other volunteers from the 809th ERHS, including Tech Sgts. Arlena Drummonds and Steven Clement, to work on the design. Word spread quickly among the civil engineer community about the opportunity to contribute to the education of Afghan boys. Davis soon signed up the 30th Naval Construction Regiment Seabees and the 422nd Expeditionary Signal Battalion engineers. Initial construction began Dec. 11, 2011. Over four weeks, three engineers supervised a group of 15 volunteers each Sunday to complete the project. "This is a COMKAF initiative for locals to gain benefit from our presence. The school is the people to people piece of the relationship, while the bazaar is the economic piece. Here, civilians and military members work side by side to support the education of Afghan youth," remarked Brig. Gen. Scott Dennis, Kandahar Airfield commander, as he watched construction of the school in December 2011. At the ribbon-cutting ceremony held Jan. 21, 2012, volunteers cheered and applauded when a young Afghan boy cut the ribbon in front of the brand new building. The school is a testament to the commitment of the KAF community to Afghanistan's children.