Airmen take reins on Army cargo movement mission

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Tim Beckham
  • U.S. Air Forces Central Public Affairs
SATHER AIR BASE, Iraq (AFNS) --  As the dust settled after one of the worst sandstorms of the year, a small group of Airmen from the 22nd Movement Control Team took the reins of the Army's 258th MCT mission June 14 here.

Sixteen Air Force logisticians are responsible for the processing and management of cargo and passengers throughout Iraq and fall under the 732nd Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron and work day to day for the Army's 49th Transportation Battalion.

"We couldn't have asked for a better turnover from the Army," said Senior Master Sgt. Martin Molina, the 22nd MCT chief. "Their (standing operating procedures) have been great and have really got us going in the right direction."

During the 258th MCTs time here, unit members have moved nearly 200,000 passengers, executed the redeployment of 12 coalition forces and moved nearly 100,000 pallets of cargo.

"Working with the Air Force has been a unique and rewarding experience over the past 12 months," said Army Capt. Robin Ferguson, the 258th MCT commander. "This deployment has provided our Soldiers the opportunity to see how worldwide transportation operates and gave them the ability to have oversight on cargo moving throughout the (U.S. Central Command area of responsibility)."

The new team of movement specialists will face more challenges than just working through sand storms.

"We only have 16 people to the Army's 22, which will pose some challenges just in sheer numbers," said Sergeant Molina, who is deployed from Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. "We will also be very busy with the cargo movement for the eventual draw down."

Though the Army has done a great job, his team will still try to improve things where they can, he added.

"We will try to streamline some processes where we can," said the San Antonio native. "We always want to improve on things and leave them better than when we arrived, but right now we are just excited to be here."

Intratheater logistics is not a new mission, but for some of these Airmen; working in a cargo yard is a first.

"I work in (transportation management office) back at my home station and usually help people with the movement of their household goods, so this is a very different mission for me," said Staff. Sgt. Starlette McMillan, a 22nd MCT cargo movement technician. Sergeant McMillan is deployed from Fairchild AFB, Wash., and is a native of Silverdale, Wash.

Filling an Army tasking may intimidate some people, but these Airmen are excited to be a part of this mission.

"The bottom line is we are here to get the people and the cargo to the combat units and Soldiers who need it," said Staff Sgt. Geoffrey Goretskie, the 22nd MCT NCO in charge of day-shift cargo. "The immediate goal is to sustain the same level of outstanding customer service the Army has provided and improve on the current motto, 'We move the force.'"

Sergeant Goretskie said he expects this deployment to be very busy for him and his team, but hopes to take a lot away from it.

"On our second or third day here, we moved more than 150 pallets. That's a lot of cargo," said the native of Lubbock, Texas, who is deployed from Vandenberg AFB, Calif. "I just hope we can continue to do as good of a job as the Army did."