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Show B ' rr. October 26. 2000 Deployments provide members invaluable experience, perspective by Capt. James R. Wilson 419th FW Public Affairs Office the short time Ive been a member of the 419th Wing, Ive watched as numerous people to locations across the world. Ive sat through staff meetings and seen the slides that list all the far away places where 419th airmen are serving. Ive stood next to reporters as they interviewed numerous wing members after their return from a stint in the Persian Gulf. Ive learned a lot from each of these experiences. Among other things. Ive learned that deployments give Air Force members an opportunity to shape world events. Ive learned our mission, while dynamic, would be far less impressive without the support we receive from civilian employers. Ive also learned that deployments are a large part of why people join or leave the military. However, its a gross understatement to say Im the on deployments. In fact, the wings foremost-authorittotal number of operational deployments I have supported was the square root of zero until now. The perspective Ive gained from deploying has been invaluable. While I know the wings reputation for filling deployment taskings speaks for itself, the bottom line is these opportunities are still performed on a voluntary basis. For that reason. Id like to give you a quick summary of my experience in the Middle East. Ali A1 Salem Air Base is a small, yet highly guarded base in Kuwait. Just 39 miles from the Iraqi border, the base is literally at the forefront of the ongoing campaign that is Operation Southern Watch. Affectionately known as The Rock, the landscape In mechanism for monitoring Iraqi airspace when the AWACS aircraft are not out patrolling the skies. Like the cast of thousands who came before me, I found life on The Rock, to be austere, even by Southwest Asias standards. Commando Village and Fox Ridge the tent cities here have lead many to call this base a step above field conditions. In fact. The Rock is almost entirely a tent city with very few structurs or hardened facilities. Airmen assigned to nearby Ahmed AI Jaber Air Base, who enjoy such niceties as paved roads, an swimming pool, and permanent dormitories, view their occasional trips to The Rock as a reality check. Under such conditions, it would be easy to understand if those assigned here lacked in areas such as teamwork, initiative, and espirit de corps. Captain my short tenure with the 386th, I found things to James R. Wilson beInquite the opposite. From the air control squadron, to the security forces members and even the civil 419th FW engineers, 1 noticed countless members approached their job with an intensity that was often contagious. chief of public Considering the rigorous conditions, the services affairs division excelled at providing a myriad of activities to help keep the troops entertained during the few hours they were not at work. Its not easy living but you get used to it. No complaints ... just people working together to get the The mission at The Rock, while far less glamorous job done. Perhaps this was the biggest surprise of the than that of other bases in Southwest Asia, is equally entire deployment to me. After all, its the inherent about one thing or another. important. Today, airmen assigned to the 386th Air right of the GI to complain is The bottom line deployments are what you make Expeditionary Group work toward a common goal, surveillance. Technicians here monitor the air traffic in of them. Listen to what other people share about southern Iraq and are keenly aware of the important experiences on deployments and learn from them, if role they play in preparing coalition forces for any possible. But gamer the experience for yourself. You eventuality. The radar site here serves as the sole wont regret it. surrounding Ali A1 Salem is flat to slightly undulating desert sand. The weather...well, lets just say its about as hot here as any place youve ever been in your life. Even with the change in seasons, its a rare occasion when the afternoon sun keeps temperatures below 1 20 degrees. As for recreational opportunities, the nearest major town is Kuwait City-- a town of roughly 28,000 or half the estimated population of Ogden. Most reasonable people would agree that these factors alone make for a less than enlightening cultural experience. 67th Aerial Port Squadron sengers to and from aircraft on the ramp. Cargo processing specialists package cargo on pallets and get it ready to move wherever it is needed. Their job includes weighing and balancing cargo so the load doesnt result in an unsafe condition once its onboard an aircraft. Passenger service, or PAX, sts ensure passengers are ready to board the aircraft, including checking immunization records if traveling to a foreign country and Tech. Sgt Staff Sgt. Duane Kaiser (top-righ-t) Mark Trice (bottom), of the 67th APS, attach ramps to a 60K cargo loader along with Warrant Officer Jim White, a loadmaster for the Canadian Air Force. and processing passenger baggage. The final functional area in the 67lh is fleet services, whose job is to provide food and water to the aircraft as well as a means to dispose of waste generated by passenger carrying aircraft. The ATOC is the nerve cenand we totally coordinate every ter action taken on the ramp, that we can control, said Sergeant John- ston. We call for cargo, pas- sengers, fuel and everything else having to do with turning an aircraft. When people ask me what I do in the The ATOC also serves as the contact point Air Force Reserve, I tell them, you know for the aircrew. One of Sergeant Johnstons when you go to the airport and look out the jobs is to brief the aircraft commander on window and see everyone doing what theyre the upload and download of passengers and doing? We control that, said Sergeant cargo, then ensure everything is completed traditional reservist when the aircrew is readyTo take off. Johnston, a and an insurance agent in his civilian job. The capability to get everyone and every-thin- g It looks like a madhouse on the ramp of on an airplane and move it all to an an airport, he said. ButtheATOC operating location is what makes the 67th coordinates all of that activity. APS an asset to a deployable unit like the funcother is five into 67th The divided 419th, said Colonel Reed. tions when it comes to moving cargo and The 67th APS used to be a geographian said aerial port, passengers through cally separated unit then joined the 419th FW after the Gulf War under the one base, Sergeant Johnston. There is special handling, which processes one boss concept, according to Colonel hazardous cargo such as explosives, chemReed. But while the Air Forces Air Comicals or flammable material. The ramp ser bat Command would gain the 419lh in a HeadsUp 12-ye- ar (continued from page A) teen members of the 67th also support Nellis AFB, Nev., during Red Flag exercises. We dont just do our work here at Hill, he said. When people come to our squadron they likely get to go to places theyve never been before. One member of the 67th who filled an AEF tasking was Staff Sgt. Chad Whiting, a traditional reserve air transportation specialist, who frames houses in his civilian rotajob. Whiting volunteered for a y tion to Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia. I always told myself if they needed me. Id go, said Sergeant Whiting. I love going to new places and seeing new things. During the three-mont- h rotation Sergeant Whiting . worked side by side with his active duty counterparts. The active duty people had their own views about what reservists were like, he said. Once you got out recall, the 67th is gained by Air Mobility vices personnel provide the means to load and unload cargo and pas- spe-ciali- nd Command. It was a challenge for the wing to figure out what we do and to integrate us into the wing, he said. The credit for the-succes- of bringing the aerial port squadron into the 4 1 9th goes to the wing leadership, which was very proactive toward integrating the two units. While we dont ever plan to go to war together, we do work together and help each other out in peacetime, said Colonel Reed. One area where the 67th and 419th work together is accomplishing the first phase of an operational readiness inspection or exercise when the focus is on trans- 90-da- porting the unit to the theater While we dont get the 67th as much as we would like, having them as to-us- e part of the 419th Fighter Wing is great, said Col. Williams. Weve got our own aerial porters to help us load up and get out of town, then help us unload at the other end. Sergeant Johnston said, and they saw that you knew your job... they started looking to reservists for 5 answers. When asked if he would volunteer a second time. from his perspective the 67th APS makes the 4 1 9th FW a stronger unit, while the 67th benefits by being part of a unit with such a great reputation. The 67th APS is not only an asset to the 4 1 9th but an asset to the total Air Force Sergeant Whiting answered, in a heartbeat. Airman Ballard said that travel is one thing she likes about being a member of the 67th APS and she is looking forward to an upcoming deployment to as well, said Colonel Williams. The 67th filled Airman 1st Class Lovisa all of its Aerospace ExpeNelson, cargo specialist in Japan. But what she likes 67th APS, prepares to the most is operating the the ditionary Force requirements in fiscal year 2000, chock a 25K cargo loader. heavy equipment to load and unload the aircraft. and in addition, provided not afraid of heavy equipment, to other Im manning for AEF slots assigned I drive a cement mixer for my she said. aerial port units. Besides its AEF commitmerits the 67th civilian job. Just being a member of the 67th APS is also sends 20 to 30 people per month to a fun job, said Sergeant Whiting. Its the McChord AFB, Wash., to gain experience old saying work hard, play hard, the 67th services fleet and with passenger working knows how to do that. at an AMC base, said Colonel Reed. Four Editorial content is edited, prepared and provided by the 419th Fighter Wing public Affairs Office. DEADLINE for submission of articles is line. on a 1 0 working days before each scheduled wing unit training assembly. Articles should be typed and double-space- d with U.S. Air the firm in connected no Mor a to is Inc., Media, the Reserve a way times, private Hilltop published by supplement HeadsUp Air Force newspaper is an Force, under exclusive written contract with the Ogden ALC Public Affairs Office. This commercial enterprise not of are U.S. Contents Air of services. the Force Reserve members authorized publication for necessanly the official views HeadsUp military of or endorsed by the U.S. government, the Department of Defense or the Air Force. 413th Col. F.C. Williams Capt. James R. Wilson FW Public Affairs Staff Stephanie Johns Senior Airman Nicholas Ferre Airman Lara Gale Commander Chief of Public Affairs Editor Staff Writer Staff Writer |