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Show MISSION r Moy 10, 1991 'i 1 1 7 H.litop Times , ml hi ' II ; 111 I I HI 1 1 i i I I M 1 ' . r U I I Iv I Hi K"JvV i . - I I 1 ' I i t r . i y J I 1 ! 11 J If II V J 1 V 0 6 I ; I t t il i I I , - t HIif J I si h ; i tit i f r m r: i , 1 ! II S 1 i j I 1 I I I 7 . - - I ! On ro : U.H iU T .. v J IS 'i ff ft HI ' III ih I 1 , is ,.; The railroad, far left, shipping cargo, top, and trucking, left, are all important transpor- tation elements at 1 1 Hill AFB. The responsibility for moving the majority of people and equipment at Hill falls under the direction of I?, three directorates. U S. Air Force Photos by "tain Daren McEwen n. 101 IFOlDDffM by Daren McEwen Hilltop Times the move staff writer Transportation plays a big role, especially here at Hill AFB, and without someone to keep all of the equipment in working order, the base would come to a standstill. The responsibilities of transporting the majority of people and equipment fall under the direction of three different directorates at Hill. The transportation of cargo and personnel comes under the Technology and Industrial Support Directorate. Managing and maintaining vehicles is part of the 2849th Air Base Group vehicle transportation division; and the transportation of the Minuteman and Peacekeeper missiles falls under the ICBM Product Directorate. and a Included in Hill's vehicles are an 120-tolocomotive in the base railroad, all military trucks and cars, fire trucks and snowplows, cranes, buses, taxis and missile transporters. According to Neil Hansen, vehicle transportation division chief, there are more than 1,500 pieces of equipment maintained on base. "There are two things we are commissioned to do," Mr. Hansen said. "First, we control the whole fleet and perform a major part of operation of the fleet, and the second thing we do is maintain it. "My folks, in four or five different buildings, can maintain and fix every piece, from the refuelers right down to the pickup trucks, including body work, total overhauls, lube jobs and oil changes," Mr. Hansen said. 80-to- n n Carrying cargo Another job of some of the transportation units is the packaging and shipping of cargo. According to Bob Sorensen, deputy chief of transportation, TI, 58,000 tons of cargo are shipped out from Hill each year, including 31,000 tons from the air terminal, and 27,000 tons from the surface terminal. Along with the cargo, TI is responsible for the transportation of 11,000 passengers each year across the continent, inducting 4,000 military personnel, booking 57,000 logistics air flight hours annually. r During Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Hill saw a 400 percent increase in shipping without a single incident, and more than $4.5 million was used in transporting military personnel and others for temporary duty assignments and various other purposes, Mr. Sorensen said. Mr. Victor said the train moves the first stage of the Peacekeeper missile because it is too big to transport across the highway. The train also transports all sections of the Minuteman missile. Currently, there are 10 box cars and seven flat cars in the railroad fleet, but occasionally Hill borHis office, besides shipping cargo and people, is rows several cars from Union Pacific and Southern Pacific railroads. responsible for packaging anything that is shipped, The railroad typically transports missiles including personal property when needed. each week. During April, they brought 10 missiles in and moved 12 out from the base. The railroad is supported by the missile transportPrompt packaging There currently are 498 people who package, label ers that are under the supervision of the ICBM and ship more than 143,000 prime items, including Directorate. The transporters typically move the 3,400 different munitions items such as bombs and second and third stages of the missile, and the numbullets. They are trained to package and move any- ber of missile sections moved by the transporters correlates with the number the railroad moves. thing within 24 hours. According to Brenda Chatlin, the transporters The process of packaging and shipping includes the designing and testing of packages, following usually move the missiles either from their launch strict guidelines. Mr. Sorensen said Hill led the site in Cheyenne, Wyo., to the testing sight at AFB, Calif., or to contractors in the Department of Defense during January in quality West who build the different parts and preparation and packaging of materials. He said the back. high standards used today were set in 1983. Before something is shipped, the box or crate the Low funds item is shipped in is run through several tests to see Transportation is a major force on base. However, if it will hold up in transit. These tests include enMr. Hansen said that 30 vehicles have already been vironmental (for weather-sensitiv- e materials); vibrabecause the lack of funding prevents them tion, to simulate a moving truck bed; the high drop, parked to determine whether or not the box- can handle a from being repaired. "We don't have enough money to keep the vehicle fleet going, and if the money drop from six feet; and the wall slam, to determine doesn't come by July, things are going to get real if it can handle a slide and slam. Mr. Sorensen said the standards used far exceed Air Force regulations, drastic," he said. Utah Governor Norman Bangerter signed a and in fact, meet or exceed international guidelines. as proclaiming May "If you don't package it right, you can't transport proclamation Thursday, week. Many activities are planned, it right. In fact, if you don't package it right, you transportation and the Utah Chapter of the National Defense can't transport it, period," Mr. Sorensen said. Transportation Association will participate in many The railroad and the missile transporters are also of them. a big addition to the transportation units on base. For those interested in transportation, the NationAccording to Vera Victor, railroad foreman, the al Defense Transportation Association will be hosttrain is mainly used to transport missile stages, but ing its fifth annual NDTA forum and exposition at it has some other uses as well. "We move the the Salt Lake Airport Hilton at 8 a.m. Thursday. Minuteman missiles and Peacekeeper missiles. We After registration and continental breakfast, the also move tires, lumber ana salvage, or shuttle the opening ceremonies, with several guest speakers cars wherever they have to go," he said, "but our speaking on revolutions in transportation, will bemain emphasis is on the missiles," . gin at 9 a.m. , 15-2- 0 Van-denber- Inter-mountai- - 13-1- 7 g n |