U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY -- At the halfway mark of their deployment, leaders of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing hosted an all call to reflect on the accomplishments of Airmen while highlighting continued priorities moving forward.
The event gave Col. Paul Sheets, 380th AEW commander, and Chief Master Sgt Joshua Skarloken, 380th AEW command chief, an opportunity to express their gratitude for the dedication of the deployed force and outline their vision for sustaining mission readiness. The demanding nature of the mission and the importance of staying combat-ready and partner focused served as a focal point of the event.
“Our Airmen have demonstrated remarkable resilience and focus during this deployment,” Sheets said. “Whether it’s supporting sorties, maintaining our infrastructure, or working alongside our coalition partners, everything we do contributes to stability and security.”
Through the deployment, the 380th AEW has achieved numerous milestones from supporting six named operations, aircrews flying nearly 500 sorties and logging over 10,000 flight hours – all while providing aircraft to other forward operating locations – not to mention supporting transient aircraft and delivering nearly one million pounds of fuel to sustain air operations.
“The mission is not just about the numbers,” he added. “Every sortie flown, every pound of fuel transferred, and every action taken ensures we can remain a security partner of choice.”
Being a security partner of choice entails more than flight hours – the Wing also demonstrated excellence in logistics, transferring 11,000 assets weighing 650,000 tons and leading the certification of hot pit refueling operations.
Beyond operational milestones, the Wing focused on fostering strong partnerships, hosting 21 general officers and flag officers and conducting several significant bilateral exercises with host nation partners.
“The success of these engagements and exercises underscore the strength of our relationships with our host nation and partners,” Skarloken said. “It also shows the world that we stand ready to operate together, no matter the challenge.”
In addition to mission success, the Wing achieved significant community and morale milestones, volunteering over 4,200 hours fostering quality of life across the installation.
“These efforts are about more than just accomplishing the mission,” Sheets said. “They’re about ensuring our Airmen and by extension, their families, have the support and resources they need to remain resilient and focused.”
Ultimately, the all call served as an opportunity for members to see the success of their efforts across the Wing's diverse operations.
“Our leaders are key, but our Airmen are the heart of this operation,” Skarloken said. “It’s their dedication, professionalism and focus that drive our ability to accomplish the mission every day.”
As the deployment continues, the 380th AEW leadership remains committed to continuing the legacy of excellence and dedication while ensuring the well-being and readiness of every Airman and partner on the installation.
“We’ve done incredible things so far, but the mission isn’t over,” Sheets concluded. “Let’s finish strong, stay focused and continue to make a difference.”