SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Deployment rotations are an extremely busy and hectic time for all involved, especially for those whose job it is to ensure that incoming and outbound personnel reach their destinations safely and on time.
Here at The Rock that responsibility lies with the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing's Logistics Readiness Squadron D-flight, though the personnel in the flight would refer to the duty as a privilege versus a responsibility.
“For me the most rewarding part of my job is actually getting to do my job,” said Airman 1st Class Shannon Shuttlesworth, deployed here from the Pennsylvania Air National Guard 193d Special Operations Wing. “I get to learn and then actually apply what I’ve learned to assist Airmen in getting home.”
The 386 ELRS/D-flight, led by Installation Deployment Officer Capt. James Spears from the Delaware ANG 166th Airlift Wing, has processed nearly 4000 personnel on 30 inbound and outbound flights. Here at The Rock, he claims, the deployment/redeployment process revolves around Log Plans.
“For inbound personnel,” said Tech. Sgt. Casey Wilson, Log Plans non-commissioned officer in charge from Minot AFB, ND, “we first pull their information from GATES (Global Air Transportation Execution System) and make a pre-manifest to identify who is inbound. We then coordinate with outside agencies such as lodging and medical, so they can perform the processes they need to.”
For outbound personnel, Log Plans coordinates with Unit Travel Representatives here and at other bases throughout Southwest Asia, to collect the necessary information on re-deployers. They identify when and how they are getting back to home station, as well as coordinating all the busses, baggage trucks and security escort times to ensure there are no delays in the redeployment process.
The D-flight Travel Management Office oversees baggage processing through customs and booking follow-on flights to get troops to their respective home stations.
“Occasionally, mission times change,” said TMO NCOIC Master Sgt. Emily Koerbler from the 419 LRS, Hill AFB, Utah. “Recently, harsh weather conditions on the east coast (of the United States) affected our departure flights here, so we had to scramble to reschedule follow-on flights. We can’t have troop’s flights home leaving from the airport before we can get them there.” Fortunately, TMO has a built-in safety for such a circumstance: all follow-on flights are exchangeable. Therefore, if a re-deploying troop is late or early for a connecting flight, they can exchange their ticket for another one.
Additionally, according to Koerbler, certifying baggage through customs can be as formidable as moving several thousand troops. However, Captain Spears has one simple tip for re-deployers that will make it much easier for all involved – “Mail as much home as possible.”