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MISSION COMPLETE: Isa Air Base wraps up M-ATV surge

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Kevin Nichols
  • 379th Air Expeditionary Wing public affairs
SOUTWEST ASIA --  More than a dozen Airmen stood on the edge of the flightline, anticipating with a watchful eye as the last C-17 lifted off the ground and soared away. A celebration and applause broke out. They threw water on each other and filled water balloons while high-fiving the patriots next to them. Some cried.

"I'm just so proud, that's all," said Master Sgt. Michele Gaul, interim first sergeant, while wiping away the joyful tears. "That's why I'm crying!"

The last five of more than 2,500 Mine Resistant Ambush Protected - All Terrain Vehicles were on that C-17 bound for Afghanistan as the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Detachment 1 at Isa Air Base, Bahrain, wrapped up a surge operation. Their mission involved rapidly delivering the life-saving vehicles to match the call that sent more troops to Afghanistan earlier this year.

Isa AB's operations will eventually transition into the hands of the Navy contingent there while also helping the Air Force transition out.

To mark the transition, a change of command ceremony handed the reins to Col. Eric Newhouse, who leads the detachment during its transition phase. Brig. Gen. Randy Kee, 379th AEW commander, presided over the ceremony that focused on the many accomplishments Detachmentsmo 1 executed during Colonel Moncrief's tenure.

"You have been tiring and unrelenting in moving these vehicles to the fight," said General Kee. "That can only be brought by sweat, toil, sleepless nights that are measured in minutes as opposed to hours of rest, and being able to be put together [the mission] in a magnificent way as has been the example at Isa Air Base."

Col. Keith Moncrief, the outgoing 379th AEW Det. 1 commander, said the surge mission was completed ahead of schedule.

"We're three months early," the colonel said. "We found out, through exhaustible research and a lot of math, that we could take five vehicles [on the C-17] versus four. We were 25 percent more efficient. That tied up fewer airplanes and we became smarter and leaner without a lot of work."

Senior Airman Andrew Morton, Det. 1 Petroleum, Oil and Lubricants flight member from Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., was on the other end of the hose fueling the last C-17 that wrapped everything up.

"I'm used to filling up planes so they can fly around in circles for training," he said. "But coming out here and actually filling up planes with a purpose, with a mission that's going to help people; help people get home to their families, that's going to save people's lives is a great feeling."

Master Sgt. Steven Tornabene, Det. 1 air transportation craftsman, knows the impact he and his team had on the overall mission, but more significant for him is seeing the younger troops "get it."

"To see their faces light up whenever they understand and realize that we're saving lives and we're pushing all these M-ATVs out and helping [troops in Afghanistan and Iraq]. It's a satisfying feeling," said Sergeant Tornabene, who's currently deployed from the 32nd Aerial Port Squadron in Pittsburgh, Pa. "From putting them on the plane and making sure the aircrew is safe, to delivering them downrange for the young sergeants, Soldiers, Marines or whoever gets in them to do their job and stay protected, I hope it makes [the Airmen] feel good and they have pride in what they do here."

Senior Airman Kala Ceryak also from the 32nd Aerial Port Squadron, 911th Airlift Wing in Pennsylvania, said she "gets it" too as an aerial porter at Isa AB.

"For me, it's a true honor and I'm really excited to be a part of it," she said. "I like to keep in mind as well that it's not just me who had a hand in this, so it's good to know that I'm helping to cap off something that was already started, and just making the total Air Force in general come to a completed mission and success for us."

The members of the airfield management "port dawgs" schedule and coordinate each C-17 flight with their host nation partners. It's a partnership that was enduring throughout their tour.

"There's nothing that happened here that wasn't coordinated, proposed and executed all under the watchful eye of our ally," Colonel Moncrief explained. "Gen. David Petraeus, when he was the Central Command commander, told us that Bahrain was a great ally, to work with them and be totally transparent with them just like any other ally. We took that to heart."

Det. 1's partnership with the Army provides top cover including an air defense artillery unit that diminishes any kinetic entanglements. Sharing the base with the Navy helps support operations run smoothly for current operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"Having [the Army] as our umbrella was kind of a neat thing and it helped make us secure and less vulnerable. As for the Navy, they're our base host, so we are their guests with a powerful role."

With the completion of this surge mission, Colonel Moncrief said a concern people may have that M-ATVs would stop being delivered. He said that's not the case.

"There are other, more enduring locations that'll be doing the same thing answering the need," he said. "This was a surge location, and the requirement was fulfilled. Clearly, M-ATVs will continue to be attacked, so there will always be a need for M-ATVs. There was just such an immediate need with so many company level groups and they were waiting for this stuff. Right now, we're ahead of schedule and that's a great victory for everybody."

The victory sentiment rings the loudest, perhaps, for Buck Welcher, a former Marine and Vietnam veteran who maintained the M-ATVs.

"To be able to contribute again to the war effort is a personally rewarding feeling for me," Mr. Welcher said. "Kind of makes you feel like you've been taken off the shelf and you can still contribute a little bit."

Mr. Welcher is well known throughout the air base not only for his positive and motivating effect on others, but also as the maintainer of every M-ATV that came through Isa. Trained at the Oshkosh Corporation in Wisconsin that manufactures the M-ATV, he was "called up" to meet the vehicles at the port of Manama, Bahrain, ensure their safe arrival to Isa AB and make sure they're mechanically sound before they go on the plane to Afghanistan.

"It's a good job," he said. "Anytime you get to be a part of history it's a pretty good feeling. It's a good feeling know that we made such an impact downrange as far as safety for the war fighter and for them to be able to efficiently do their job and keep them out of harm's way as much as possible."

Just as amazing as completing the mission ahead of schedule was the unity Det. 1 displayed between all Airmen, all ranks and all services.

"It's the mission," Colonel Moncrief said. "If you have to tie it into something, it's about saving lives. At least four riders' lives would be saved with each of these vehicles and [the Airmen] knew the history in Iraq. So this was something that everyone had in their heart and it went across specialties. It was a pretty magical thing."