Airmen take reins on Army cargo movement mission

Staff Sgt. Starlette McMillan, 22nd Movement Control Team, tightens down the cargo netting on a pallet at Sather Air Base, Iraq June 18, 2009. Sergeant McMillan is part of a 16-person team taking over the mission from the Army’s 258th MCT. The team has only been in country a week and on their second day moved more than 150 pallets. Sergeant McMillan is deployed from Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., and a native of Silverdale, Wash. (U.S. Air Force photo by: Senior Airman Jacqueline Romero)

Airmen take reins on Army cargo movement mission

Army Sergeant Josiah Rubi, 258th Movement Cargo Team, shows Staff Sgt. Starlette McMillan, 22nd Movement Control Team, how to properly place a strap on cargo netting so it can be tightened correctly at Sather Air Base, Iraq June 18, 2009. Sergeant McMillan is a part of a 16-person team taking over the mission from the Army’s 258th MCT. Sergeant Rubi is deployed from Hunter Army Airfield, Savannah, Ga. and a native of Winslow, Ariz. Sergeant McMillan is deployed from Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., and a native of Silverdale, Wash. (U.S. Air Force photo by: Senior Airman Jacqueline Romero)

Airmen take reins on Army cargo movement mission

Army Sergeant Josiah Rubi, 258th Movement Cargo Team, shows Staff Sgt. Starlette McMillan and Airman 1 st Class Manuel Babilonia, 22nd Movement Control Team, how to put the chains over a metal container at Sather Air Base, Iraq June 18, 2009. Sergeant McMillan and Airman Babilonia are part of a 16-person team taking over the mission from the Army’s 258th MCT. Sergeant Rubi is deployed from Hunter Army Airfield, Savannah, Ga. and a native of Winslow, Ariz. Sergeant McMillan is deployed from Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash., and a native of Silverdale, Wash. Airman Babilonia is deployed from Aviano Air Base, Italy and a native of Puerto Rico. (U.S. Air Force photo by: Senior Airman Jacqueline Romero)

Airmen take reins on Army cargo movement mission

Published June 23, 2009
By Staff Sgt. Tim Beckham
U.S. Air Forces Central Public Affairs

SATHER AIR BASE, Iraq -- As the dust was still settling after one of the worst sand storms of the year here, a small group of Airmen from the 22nd Movement Control Team, which falls under 732nd Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron and works day-to-day for the Army's 49th Transportation Battalion, were in the process of taking the reins of the Army's 258th MCT mission.

Sixteen Air Force logisticians from all over the globe arrived here June 14 to take over the Army movement control mission, responsible for the processing and management of cargo and passengers throughout Iraq.

"We couldn't have asked for a better turnover from the Army," said Senior Master Sgt. Martin Molina, 22nd MCT chief. "Their SOPs (standing operating procedures) have been great and have really got us going in the right direction."

During the 258th MCTs time here they have moved nearly 200,000 passengers, executed the redeployment of 12 coalition forces and moved nearly 100,000 pallets of cargo just to name a few.

"Working with the Air Force has been a unique and rewarding experience over the past 12 months," said Capt. Robin Ferguson, 258th MCT commander. "This deployment has provided our Soldiers the opportunity to see how worldwide transportation operates and gave them the ability to have oversight on cargo moving throughout the CENTCOM AOR." Captain Ferguson is deployed from Hunter Army Airfield, Ga., and is a native of Morrow, Ark.

The new team of movement specialist will face more challenges than just working through sand storms though.

"We only have 16 people to the Army's 22, which will pose some challenges just in sheer numbers," said Sergeant Molina, who is deployed from Lackland Air Force base, Texas. "We will also be very busy with the cargo movement for the eventual draw down."
Sergeant Molina also said that even though the Army has done a great job, his team will still try to improve things where they can.

"We will try to streamline some processes where we can," said the San Antonio native. "We always want to improve on things and leave them better than when we arrived, but right now we are just excited to be here."

Intra-theater logistics is not a new mission but for some of these Airmen working in a cargo yard is a first.

"I work in TMO (transportation management office) back at my home station and usually help people with the movement of their household goods, so this is a very different mission for me," said Staff. Sgt. Starlette McMillan, 22nd MCT cargo movement technician. Sergeant McMillan is deployed from Fairchild AFB Wash., and is a native of Silverdale, Wash.

Filling an Army tasking may intimidate some people, but these Airmen are excited to be a part of this mission.

"The bottom line is we are here to get the people and the cargo to the combat units and Soldiers who need it," said Staff Sgt. Geoffrey Goretskie, 22nd MCT NCOIC of day shift cargo. "The immediate goal is to sustain the same level of outstanding customer service the Army has provided and improve on the current motto 'we move the force.'"

Sergeant Goretskie said he expects this deployment to be very busy for him and his team but hopes to take a lot away from it.

"On our second or third day here we moved more than 150 pallets ... that's a lot of cargo," said the Lubbock, Texas native, who is deployed from Vandenberg AFB, Calif. "I just hope we can continue to do as good of a job as the Army did."