Travis Airmen provide presidential support Published Aug. 19, 2009 By Capt. Paradon Silpasornprasit 615th Contingency Response Wing TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFNS) -- Members of the 615th Contingency Response Wing here were there to smooth the way for President Barack Obama's two-day visit to Guadalajara, Mexico, for a North American summit held with leaders from Mexico and Canada Aug. 9 and 10. When the president travels, he relies on Air Force contingency response units like the 615th CRW to bring in the equipment necessary to facilitate his stay. For the president's trip to Mexico, the 615th CRW Airmen brought in everything from the communications equipment the president and his staff used at their hotel to the official helicopters, Marine One and Marine Two, and the Secret Service ground transport vehicles. Nineteen personnel from 615th CRW returned home Aug. 14 after a two-week deployment in support of the president's visit as part of an Air Mobility Command special assignment airlift mission. "This was the perfect mission for the 615th. We can go anywhere, anytime. When the president has to go, we can easily be there to support him," said Master Sgt. Bradley Riley, a 571st Global Mobility Squadron mission team member. The 615th CRW staff deployed a cross-functional team of experts that included aerial porter, base operations, airfield operations, command post and communications professionals. Wing personnel worked alongside Mexican airport authorities and Secret Service personnel to facilitate moving the equipment into the country and then downloading it, and handing it over to White House authorities. Sergeant Riley said their mission included being the eyes and ears on the ground for airfield management. The team deployed taking a small fraction of those functions that normally exist on base along with them. It took the rapidly deployable wing less than a week to prepare for their mission to Mexico. The 615th CRW is a crucial asset for presidential support missions because it has the unique capability of providing a pre-packaged team of experienced professionals who have trained together, worked together, and deployed together. In the past, teams would have to be pooled from several units, staffed through numerous command channels, and then piecemealed together prior to deployment. "This was a new kind of tasking for my unit, so for us it was exciting to actually go out and pool in smaller teams instead of the large package we usually go as," said Tech. Sgt. Kimberley Overturf, a 571st GMS mission team member. During this mission, members of the 615th CRW had a unique opportunity to provide assistance and orientation training to Mexican airport service personnel on how Air Force contingency response units handle aircraft command and control and ramp operations, said Lt. Col Manny Canino, the 571st GMS mission team chief. "Supporting the president is the highest honor we can have as transporters and logistical personnel," Sergeant Riley said.