Air Force officials dedicate C-130 to Army's 82nd Airborne in Afghanistan

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. John Jung
  • 455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan (AFNS) --  Air Force officials here dedicated a C-130 Hercules to the Soldiers of the Army's 82nd Airborne Division stationed in Afghanistan Oct. 5 at Bagram Airfield.

The transport was originally dedicated at Pope Air Force Base, N.C., Oct. 25, 2008, to Fort Bragg's entire 82nd Airborne Division based in North Carolina.

Tail number 79282 from the Air Force Reserve 440th Airlift Wing from Pope AFB has official nose art prominently displaying an American eagle in flight surrounding the iconic 82nd Airborne's insignia wings on the aircraft's fuselage. The plane also sports "Bragg-Pope" on its tail flash representing the close relationship between the Fort Bragg and Pope AFB.

Using the total force, an active duty crew deployed from the 2nd Airlift Squadron, an associate unit of the 440th AW, to fly the Reserve C-130 to Bagram Afghanistan. The crew included Capt. Alan Rathjen and Capt. Laura Easton, both C-130 pilots, and Staff Sgt. Matt Metz, C-130 loadmaster.

"The aircraft is being dedicated to the 82nd in honor of the cohesion of the Air Force and the Army in the fight in Afghanistan," said Captain Rathjen, a native of St. Louis who is assigned to the 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron.

While the dedication was symbolic in nature, the tangible effects of the C-130 are felt every day by Airmen and Soldiers alike.

"A few days ago we airdropped (Meals, Ready to Eat) and water down to Soldiers at a (forward operating base)," said Captain Easton of the 774th EAS and a native of Pittsburgh. "It's the mission we trained for at the 2nd AS and (one) we're ready to employ here for the joint fight."

"I came here to be a part of history," said Army Master Sgt. John Plasse, assigned to the 38th Infantry Division and an Afghan national security forces liaison. "It's great to have something you've worked in, flown into and out of combat with ... and then it's gotten you home safely all those times ... dedicated to you and your fellow Soldiers."

Bringing critical supplies via airdrop to Soldiers on the ground is what the C-130 is suited to and is excelling at in Afghanistan. C-130s at Bagram Airfield average between five and eight tons of cargo per airdrop mission.

Continuing the overall mission to feed, fuel and arm the fight, September marked the fourth consecutive month in which an increase of supplies was airdropped by the Air Force to coalition partners and local citizens across Afghanistan.

In total, 4.1 million pounds of goods were dropped to forward operating bases, combat outposts and other austere locations in support of ground forces.

"It's our day-to-day job," said Sergeant Metz of the 774th EAS who is a native of Springfield, Va. "I'm proud to have brought this C-130 to Afghanistan for the dedication, but I'm more gratified being the loadmaster who gets to airdrop (supplies) to the guys on the ground."

Airdrops have proven to be a safe and reliable method for delivering vital supplies into locations where roads don't exist, the terrain is too mountainous, the cargo is too heavy for helicopters or where the insurgent threat is too great.