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Quarry Open House offers insight to flightline operations

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Lindsey Maurice
  • 386th Air Expeditionary Wing
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  Airmen from a variety of Air Force specialties gathered on the "Quarry" (flightline) side of the base here Jan. 30, to gain insight into the base's C-130 and C-17 missions.

The Quarry Open House, offered every other month, provides base members with an up close look at the different aspects of flightline operations to include aircrews, aerial port Airmen, fuels specialists, aircraft maintainers, force protection, tactics, intelligence and aircrew flight equipment.

"This program was started years ago as a way to inform people who wouldn't usually get to see what goes on down here on the flightline," said Senior Master Sgt. Gerard Bohl, 737th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron. "It's a way to show them the big picture and how whether they're from finance, medical, chapel, etc. that we all have an integral role in the mission. It takes a lot of moving parts to make the mission a success."

Each open house begins with a mission brief covering the three flying units on base, the 737th EAS, 817th EAS and 43rd Expeditionary Electronic Combat Squadron. In addition, tactics, intelligence and aircrew flight equipment specialists give participants an even broader perspective into the flying mission.

After a little free time to talk with the aircrews and other experts, participants are then driven out to the flightline for an up close look at the C-130H, EC-130 and C-17 with representatives from all the various support functions on hand to answer any questions their guests may have.

"The participants always enjoy going out to the aircraft - sitting in the cockpit or the cargo bay and talking with the crews," said Sergeant Bohl. "A lot of these Airmen never really have the opportunity to see the aircraft close up, so it's a really great opportunity for them."

Dr. John Treiber, 386th AEW historian, said it was nice to get out of his office and see the people and aircraft he is tasked with documenting in the history books.

"I have to write about the flying units and their operations in the monthly history," he said. "While it's one thing to simply read reports about what they do, it's quite another to board the planes and talk with the crews. I went today to learn and came away enlightened."

The historian pinpointed two main highlights of his day.

"Among a day of highlights, the first was chatting with one of the C-130 loadmasters who cheerfully explained to me how the back end of a C-130 works, and the ins and outs of what he does," he said. "He clearly loves his job more than anything. On paper it's easy for anyone to understand why the U.S. Air
Force is the greatest in the world, but when you encounter enthusiasm and competence like that it's not trite to say that the Air Force's greatest asset really is its people.

"Another highlight was boarding a C-17, standing on the loading platform as it was being raised, and sitting in the cockpit while the unit commander talked about what it's like to fly that amazing plane."

As the open house came to an end, the participants boarded the bus, more enlightened and content in knowing that they play a major role in the 386th AEW's mission of airlift support in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.