Air National Guard aircrews aid with Pakistani flood relief

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Johnathon Orrell
  • National Guard Bureau
ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) --  Air National Guard aircrews have been working to provide relief supplies to areas affected by the flooding of the country of Pakistan since the beginning of the operation in late July.

Col. Greg Nelson, the deputy director of mobility forces for Air Force Central Command, is a member of the Kentucky ANG's 123rd Airlift Wing in Louisville, Ky.  Currently he is located at Chaklala Air Base in Islamabad, Pakistan, one of the main air hubs for the flood relief.

"We are working in concert with the Pakistani air force and the government of Pakistan to try to bring air relief in here and then dispatch it throughout the nation where it is needed," Colonel Nelson said.

Working in a 10,000 square-foot warehouse, Colonel Nelson said it can fill up in a day, depending on how many aircraft arrive from the supporting countries.

"In other words, this is a large airfield (in Islamabad) so larger aircraft can come in and bring shipments of medications or supplies, he said. "We will break it down into smaller loads on tactical airlift aircraft like the C-130 to go into flood affected areas."

Capt. Robert Dodson, a C-130 Hercules pilot deployed from the Illinois ANG's 182nd Airlift Wing in Peoria, Ill., was the aircraft commander on the first mission into Pakistan.

"We had a quick response from the time we were notified to the time the pallets were on the airplane," he said. "The whole reason why we're here is to help others when we can and the whole crew is happy to do it."

Captain Dodson and his crew currently are assigned to the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan.

On July 31, Captain Dodson's crew delivered nearly 8,000 Halal meals to Pakistan. Halal meals are similar to the U.S. military's packaged ready- to-eat meals, and they are prepared according to Islamic tradition.

Colonel Nelson said the U.S. and Pakistani air forces along with several governmental and non-governmental agencies are working together to provide relief to the devastated areas.