Haiti flight coordinators explain chain of command at airport

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  • By Judith Snyderman
  • Defense Media Activity
WASHINGTON (AFNS) --  U.S. military officials are working across organizational boundaries in a concerted effort to keep supplies and people flowing into Haiti's main airport.

"Port-au-Prince is the center of gravity for the relief effort currently in Haiti. If something happens to that airfield, we are in trouble to get supplies there until the sea pods are open," Lt. Col. Brad Graff, from the 601st Air Operations Center at Florida's Tyndall Air Force base said during a Jan. 21 during a "DoDLive" bloggers roundtable.

Colonel Graff said he's aware of frustration expressed by relief groups requesting flight landing slots but he said, the Port-au-Prince airport is running "24/7" and is averaging 140 flights a day.

"We've tripled the flow through that field, he said. "So your chances of getting in are better now than ever. You just do need to follow the procedures that are in place. We don't like to think of ourselves as limiting that airfield; we like to think of ourselves as facilitator that are allowing things, the proper agencies, allowing people to get in there in a more timely manner."

Col. John Romero, the chief of the air mobility division for the 612th Air Operations Center at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., also participated in the discussion.

The command structure brings the full breadth of U.S. military expertise to the table to keep operations in Haiti running quickly and safely, he explained.

Due to the emergency, Colonel Romero said his organization, which is part of U.S Southern Command, is supported by the 601st AOC which falls under U.S. Northern Command. U.S. Southern Command is in charge of DOD's Haiti mission.

"We are working in concert with the 601st Air Operations Center, who really has the role of the Haiti flight operations coordination center," he said. 

"They are really the individual entity that is managing the slot times into Port-au-Prince airport," Colonel Romero said.

Maj. David Smith, who reports to Colonel Graff, added that the 601's "Haiti flight operations coordination center," was set up from lessons learned in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Having a single point of coordination is a strategy that proved effective during recent relief efforts for Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, Major Smith said. 

During those hurricane missions, the 612th AOC established liaisons with the Federal Aviation Administration.

Colonel Romero said he's brought those relationships to bear in support of the Haiti mission to ensure the safety of plane landings at Port-au-Prince.

In addition, Colonel Romero said the 612th AOC is controlling U.S. military aircraft carrying U.S. military supplies and personnel into Haiti. But he assured bloggers that they are following the same procedures to request time slots, and he indicated they're not getting special priorities.

There are additional ways supplies and medical help are now being delivered to Haitians, Colonel Romero said.

Canada is operating a single, small airstrip at Jacmel and U.S. Air Forces Air Mobility Command Airmen from Scott AFB, Ill., coordinated two successful air deliveries on Jan. 21, he said.

"They did a fantastic job; on time, on target - 40 bundles for each aircraft at two different locations delivering humanitarian relief supplies to the people there in Haiti of water and meals ready to eat," he said.

In addition, Colonel Graff has reached out to Dominican Republic officials, and said, "they have been more than helpful in opening up other areas that we can now flow relief supplies into."

Haiti's neighbor nation is expected to allow use of San Isidro Airport outside Santo Domingo and Maria Montez airport in Barahona.

"We are doing the best we can, working with the individuals on the ground, to make sure that the right priorities are identified and that we can flow those priorities (into Haiti)," Colonel Romero said. "But I want everyone to know, we want to do that safely."