Airmen from 455th Expeditionary Aerial Port Squadron, Detachment 3, load pallets onto a C-17 Globemaster III at Camp Marmal, Afghanistan, Jan 30, 2013. Airmen belonging to the 455th EAPS are charged with unloading and loading every aircraft carrying supplies or personnel into and out of Camp Marmal supporting the International Security Assistance Force Regional Command-North’s transportation mission. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Chris Willis)
Airman 1st Class Robert Williams, 455th Expeditionary Aerial Port Squadron, Detachment 3 Aerial Port specialist, drives a 60K aircraft loader across the contingency cargo staging yard at Camp Marmal, Afghanistan, Jan 30, 2013. The port Airmen move more than 2,600 tons of cargo and 2,200 personnel each month in support of combat sustainment operations. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Chris Willis)
Staff Sgt. Gary Williams, 455th Expeditionary Aerial Port Squadron, Detachment 3 Aerial Port specialist, guides a forklift across the contingency cargo staging yard at Camp Marmal, Afghanistan, Jan 30, 2013. Williams is deployed from the 60th Aerial Port Squadron, Travis Air Force Base, Calif., supporting the International Security Assistance Force Regional Command-North transportation mission. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Chris Willis)
Tech. Sgt. Jason E. Goul, 455th Expeditionary Aerial Port Squadron, Detachment 3 Aerial Port specialist, builds pallets at the contingency cargo staging yard on Camp Marmal, Afghanistan, Jan 30, 2013. Goul is deployed from the 60th Aerial Port Squadron, Travis Air Force Base, Calif., supporting the International Security Assistance Force Regional Command-North’s transportation mission. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Chris Willis)
Airmen from 455th Expeditionary Aerial Port Squadron, Detachment 3, build pallets at the contingency cargo staging yard on Camp Marmal, Afghanistan, Jan 30, 2013. Airmen from the 455th EAPS are forward deployed from Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, to support the main Air Force contingency cargo staging yard in Regional Command-North. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Chris Willis)
Staff Sgt. Gary Williams, Detachment 3 Aerial Port specialist, guides a forklift across the contingency cargo staging yard at Camp Marmal, Afghanistan, Jan 30, 2013. The port Airmen move more than 2,600 tons of cargo and 2,200 personnel each month in support of combat sustainment operations. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Chris Willis)
Airmen from 455th Expeditionary Aerial Port Squadron, Detachment 3, load pallets onto a C-17 Globemaster III at Camp Marmal, Afghanistan, Jan 30, 2013. Airmen belonging to the 455th EAPS are charged with unloading and loading every aircraft carrying supplies or personnel into and out of Camp Marmal supporting the International Security Assistance Force Regional Command-North’s transportation mission. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Chris Willis)
Master Sgt. Joel Graham, 455th Expeditionary Aerial Port Squadron, Detachment 3 chief, loads pallets onto a C-17 Globemaster III at Camp Marmal, Afghanistan, Jan 30, 2013. Airmen from the 455th EAPS are forward deployed from Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, to support the main Air Force contingency cargo staging yard in Regional Command-North. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Chris Willis)
Airmen from 455th Expeditionary Aerial Port Squadron, Detachment 3, load pallets onto a C-17 Globemaster III at Camp Marmal, Afghanistan, Jan 30, 2013. Airmen belonging to the 455th EAPS are charged with unloading and loading every aircraft carrying supplies or personnel into and out of Camp Marmal supporting the International Security Assistance Force Regional Command-North’s transportation mission. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Chris Willis)
by Senior Airman Chris Willis
455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
2/14/2013 - CAMP MARMAL, MAZAR-E-SHARIF, Afghanistan (AFNS) -- Airmen forward deployed from the 455th Expeditionary Aerial Port Squadron at Bagram Airfield are helping to provide a vital role in moving personnel and supplies in northern Afghanistan.
Members of the 455th EAPS Detachment 3 are tasked with loading and unloading every U.S. aircraft that that comes in and out of Camp Marmal, moving more than 2,600 pounds of cargo and 220 personnel each month.
The military camp is at a forward operating base primarily home to German forces near Mazar-e Sharif, the fourth largest city in Afghanistan. U.S. forces first used the FOB's airfield during the initial incursion into the country and it still plays a critical role for operations throughout Afghanistan.
Camp Marmal's EAPS detachment is mixed with Airmen from the Guard, Reserve and Active Duty. Together they work to sustain and support combat operations for U.S. forces in FOBs located throughout Afghanistan.
"We are the sole Air Force aerial port representatives for this installation," said Master Sgt. Joel Graham, 455th EAPS Detachment 3 chief. "We also support the Army, some coalition forces and the recent retrograde operations."
With the upcoming retrograde movement, the team's operation tempo has increased in an effort to assist with the transfer of equipment and personnel transitioning out of the country.
Bagram Airfield forward deployed three additional Airmen to the camp to help with the drawdown and retrograde.
"Right now there is a surge in movement at Camp Marmal," said Lt. Col. Luther King, 455th EAPS commander. "That is why we decided to send the additional Airmen to help."
The increase in personnel was welcomed by the Camp Marmal aerial porters such as Airman 1st Class Robert Williams.
"We can move up to 100 pallets in a single day," said Williams, deployed from the 60th Aerial Port Squadron, Travis Air Force Base, Calif. "This was a skeleton crew that needed more people. "
Each member was handpicked by King to represent BAF at Camp Marmal because of their skill set and the need for the Airmen to be self-sufficient and self-sustaining.
Together the EAPS Airmen show they are all experts of their craft as each Airman takes a turn palletizing and then driving cargo to aircraft on the flightline.
"I couldn't ask for better group to come out here and work with," said Graham. "These Airmen do everything they can to make the mission happen."
Comments
2/15/2013 8:57:30 AM ET 2600 pounds of cargo and 220 personnel each month. I sure hope that is a typo.
