ROCK SOLID WARRIOR Published Feb. 3, 2008 737th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Senior Airman Kenny Harmon C-130 Loadmaster Home unit/base: 61st Airlift Squadron, Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark. How do you support the mission here? As a C-130 loadmaster, I get to support the mission head on. Overseeing all things related to loading the aircraft is my main duty. Safety and comfort of passengers are also a big concern. During flight, I'm the pilot's "eyes and ears" in the back of the aircraft. Our typical load consists of moving passengers and a baggage pallet. Our normal day consists of three to four sorties in and out of the Iraq theater. In my down time, I support the mission by staying fit to fight. I've already lost 30 pounds as my long runs are up to 20 miles in preparation for my first 26.2-mile marathon upon returning from this deployment. How many times have you deployed and what makes this one unique? This is my second deployment. On my first rotation, I was the young loadmaster with an instructor watching over me all the time. This time, I am the experienced loadmaster which requires me to be more diligent with a higher level of expectations from the pilot. How does your job differ in a deployed environment vs. home base? My main mission at home base is training and preparing for any type of airlift contingency so that I am ready to react at a moments notice. Such training consists of anything from airlifting emergency response vehicles to Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England, to dropping paratroopers near Aviano Air Base, Italy. In a deployed environment, I put that training to use supporting U.S. and coalition forces such as the Iraqi Counter Terrorist Forces. Mission like this make me feel good at the end of the day because the load is unique and it requires me to utilize all my skills as a loadmaster to configure the aircraft and balance the weight of the aircraft.