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Airmen moving the mission in Afghanistan

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Oshawn J. Jefferson
  • U.S. AFCENT Combat Camera Team
CAMP BASTION, Afghanistan --  
At an airfield that rivals Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, which moves the most passengers in the world annually, or Memphis, Tenn.'s, Memphis International Airport, which moves the most cargo in the world annually, a small team of 28 aerial-port and vehicle-maintenance Airmen from the 451st Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron, Detachment 1 here are moving the mission in Afghanistan.

"We are a small group of guys doing a big mission out here," said 1st Lt. Josh Meyer, 451st ELRS Det. 1 commander deployed from Pope Air Force Base, N.C. "Seven days a week our Airmen have a hand in moving cargo or people essential to our operations in this region. We have an important role and our Airmen are proving why they are the best at what they do daily."

The unit's air-traffic operations center and ramp operations have uploaded and downloaded more than 40,000 short-tons of cargo from almost 3,000 aircraft moving in and out of the airfield here since January 1.

Moving cargo off of airframes such as C-17 Globemaster IIIs, C-130 Hercules, Russian-made IL-76s and DC-8s, aerial-port Airmen ensure Coalition Forces get the equipment and supplies they need.

"Sometimes we have three aircraft on the ground at a time and our guys are on it," said Staff Sgt. Patrick Raible, the detachment's ATOC shift supervisor deployed from Pope AFB. "Even though we have a lot of aircraft come through, it's fun. The more work we get the more proficient our Airmen get and our guys get better every day. Our guys enjoy the challenge, because when it comes to getting the job done ... we always get the job done."

Moving all that cargo requires approximately 40 fork lifts, loaders and other vehicles to keep running at their peak condition. To keep the Airmen 'who move the mission' going, the four-man vehicle maintenance team keeps their cargo vehicle fleet on the go.

"We know we have to keep these vehicles operational or the mission cannot get done," said Staff Sgt. Vanny Vang, 451st ELRS vehicle maintainer deployed from Shaw AFB, S.C. "We have to stay on top of our job and we certainly do. Our guys are at the top of their game out here. We have a big job -- with the right tools and the right attitude we get it done."

As the surge in Afghanistan continues, Airmen here have ferried in their share of Coalition Forces. With the responsibility of processing all U.S. passengers coming in and out of the base, the squadron's passenger services aerial porters have ensured more than 25,000 customers, since Jan. 1, got on their way to their various destinations throughout the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.

"We see 200 to 300 customers a day, from Americans and Afghans going to forward locations, to British and Danish servicemembers heading home," said Staff Sgt. John Fitzgerald, 451st ELRS Det. 1 passenger-services agent deployed from Pope AFB. "We move the people who affect missions all over Afghanistan. It's an awesome sight to witness and lets us know how much our job impacts the full spectrum of our operations over here."

A fully-manned aerial port squadron has more than 280 people making the mission a success. The majority of the unit is from Pope AFB, where the squadron moves, on average, approximately 100 short-tons from approximately 100 aircraft. At Camp Bastion, the detachment has roughly 10 percent of a fully-manned squadron doing three times the work they do at their home bases.

"Without question we have some of the sharpest Airmen in the Air Force out here at Bastion," said Master Sgt. Jeff Powell, 451st ELRS superintendent deployed from Pope AFB. "They are excited about doing their job everyday and they are learning about being hands-on leaders. At this operations tempo we don't have much time to mentor each Airman, but these guys are motivated to be as good as they possibly can and the Air Force should be proud to have them on the flight line here. They are as good as it gets."

Bastion Airfield may not be an international airport, but the Airmen from the 451st ELRS Det. 1 keep the mission here moving like a true hub, one on the frontlines of freedom and security in Afghanistan.