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Manas AB soars with total force operations

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Jerome Baysmore
  • 376th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
MANAS AIR BASE, Kyrgyzstan --  The 376th Air Expeditionary Wing pushes tanker airpower as the most Total Force integrated aircrews in the U.S. Air Forces Central Area of Responsibility.

The Liberandos' "Tanker Total Force" has a combined staff of Air National Guard crews and maintenance teams alongside active-duty Airmen working together as an integrated team

"It's a tremendous example, here at Manas AB, of the Total Force effort at work," said Col. Randy Ogden, 376th Expeditionary Operations Group commander and Air Force Reservist from Grissom Air Force Base, Ind. "The (Air National) Guard out of Sioux City, Iowa is extremely professional and hard working, and they're paired well with our active-duty troops--it's a great example of the Total Force.

"You go on an airplane, you can't tell which crew chief is active-duty or which one is Guard--same as our aircrews--they're all perfectly trained and standardized," he said. "Each crew is doing a tremendous job, and you can't tell the difference."

Colonel Ogden said the missions here are challenging with the mountainous terrain over Afghanistan but the flexibility of the Total Force is the key to getting the mission done here and in the skies over Afghanistan. He added that the integrated experience is beneficial to all Airmen in the Manas AB operations group, and it gives them all something to take back home.

"Obviously, it makes us sharper," he said. "The pace is quicker here, and it sharpens our skills, so when we go home we're even better aircrew members."

Tech. Sgt. Ronald Hanson, 185th Air Refueling Wing Sioux City Iowa Air National Guard crew chief, agreed.

"Working with the active duty has brought out more concepts of how the Air Force works more so than what we do in the guard units," he said. "We're very professional in our Guard status, but the age group is kind of the biggest (difference.) I've been in 22 years, and I'm 43 and working with a 20 year old who's been in only a year and a half."

Sergeant Hanson added that he's redeploying soon, and he looks forward to sharing this experience with his Guard unit back home.

"We can develop our teamwork a little stronger in regards to how we relate to the younger generation--to me, that's huge," he said. "The teamwork concept is developing really well, and I've had a great time here."

Lt. Col. Thomas Eisenhauer, 376th Expeditionary Maintenance Group commander, said the increased cross-section of tanker maintenance experience is beneficial to the Liberandos and the Total Force.

"Regardless of which area you're working in, you bring a lot of the same things to the fight," he said. "The technical expertise seen in the Guard and Reserve bring a lot of experience and the active duty brings a lot of flexibility. You combine the two together, and you've got an amazing team.

"The active duty provide the continuity and the Guard bring the experience on these aircraft," he continued. "Manas AB is an outstanding deployment location. We're close to the fight, and we provide the tanker mission to support the receivers that provide our ground forces protection downrange.

"Manas AB is also a great base, Kyrgyzstan is a great country, the people are wonderful, and we really enjoy it," Colonel Eisenhauer concluded. "It's just been phenomenal--great teamwork."