Manas soars with total-force operations

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Jerome Baysmore
  • 376th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
MANAS AIR BASE, Kyrgyzstan (AFPN) --  The 376th Air Expeditionary Wing here has a combined staff of Air National Guard crews and maintenance teams alongside active-duty Airmen working together as an integrated team for U.S. Air Forces Central. 

That team already had members of the Reserve and active duty, and added members of the Air National Guard's 185th Air Refueling Wing from Sioux City, Iowa, May 31.

"It's a tremendous example at Manas Air Base of the total force effort at work," said Col. Randy Ogden, the 376th Expeditionary Operations Group commander and a reservist from Grissom Air Reserve Base, Ind. 

"You go on an airplane, you can't tell which crew chief is active duty or which one is Guard. (It's the) same as our aircrews. They're all perfectly trained and standardized," he said. "Each crew is doing a tremendous job, and you can't tell the difference."

Colonel Ogden said the missions here are challenging with the mountainous terrain over Afghanistan but the flexibility of the total force is the key to getting the mission done in Afghanistan. The integrated experience is beneficial to all Airmen in the Manas AB operations group, and it gives them all something to take back home.

"Obviously, it makes us sharper," the colonel said. "The pace is quicker here, and it sharpens our skills, so when we go home we're even better aircrew members."

"Working with the active duty has brought out more concepts of how the Air Force works more so than what we do in the Guard units," said Tech. Sgt. Ronald Hanson, a 185th ARW KC-135 Stratotanker crew chief. "We're very professional in our Guard status, but the age group is kind of the biggest (difference.) I've been in 22 years, and I'm 43 and working with a 20 year old who's been in only a 1.5 years."

Sergeant Hanson said he's redeploying soon and looks forward to sharing this experience with his Guard unit back home.

"We can develop our teamwork a little stronger in regard to how we relate to the younger generation. To me, that's huge," he said. "The teamwork concept is developing really well, and I've had a great time here."

"The technical expertise seen in the Guard and Reserve bring a lot of experience and the active duty brings a lot of flexibility," said Lt. Col. Thomas Eisenhauer, the 376th Expeditionary Maintenance Group commander. "You combine them together, and you've got an amazing team. The active duty provide the continuity and the Guard bring the experience on these aircraft. 

"Manas AB is an outstanding deployment location," Colonel Eisenhauer said. "We're close to the fight, and we provide the tanker mission to support the receivers that provide our ground forces protection downrange. It's just been phenomenal, great teamwork."

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