Air Force delivers much needed supplies to Kenya

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Steve Staedler
  • 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
NAIROBI, Kenya (AFPN) --  After weeks of a deluge that seemingly had no end in sight, something besides rain finally fell from the Eastern Kenya sky -- compliments of a U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules assigned to the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing based in Southwest Asia.

What began as a normal storm in late October in the Dadaab region, about 290 miles northeast of the capital city of Nairobi, soon became a dire situation as the rain continued to fall day after day. The Dadaab region is home to about 160,000 Somali refugees who fled their country 14 years ago following an uprising. They live primarily in three camps.

When the rain finally ended, much of the housing in two of the three camps was damaged. Food quickly became scarce as many fields and crops were destroyed. An initial effort to deliver supplies failed because the roads in the area were impassable.

Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa military officials monitoring the developments suspected they would be asked to lend a helping hand. The CJTF-HOA leaders sent a small advance team to Kenya to start laying ground work for a U.S.-led relief effort. When the call from the Kenyan government came, an Air Force C-130 Hercules team was in Nairobi by Dec. 7 to begin Operation Unity Knight.

With much of the region's infrastructure underwater, the only way to deliver relief supplies was by air -- a mission tailored-made for the Hercules.

"We have the airlift capacity, the large airplanes and the expertise to carry out a humanitarian mission like this, and do it very quickly," said Maj. Glen Williams, CJTF-HOA's airlift command and control element planner and drop zone control officer for Operation Unity Knight. "There's an opportunity to come down here and give life support to the people in eastern Kenya."

A team of about 20 Airmen, with specialties including aerial port, aircraft maintenance, security forces and a U.S. Navy medic, began work Dec. 8. Their plan was to load and drop 240,000 pounds of relief supplies in an aggressive five-day schedule using an original Hercules' H-model.

Senior Airman Bryant Culpepper walks back and forth, carrying something that is a precious commodity in this part of the world.

Behind him a steady line of local nationals join the effort, hoisting the 56-pound white-package bundles of mosquito netting into stacks on the ground.

Along with mosquito netting, are blue bundles of tarps. When finished, each stack containing a mix of both items, stands nearly 6 feet tall and weighs close to 2,000 pounds.

Since the netting, tarps and tents are durable, parachutes aren't needed for each pallet. Rather, they roll out the back of the Hercules and are ready for use once recovered on the ground.

"It's a lot easier to pack when we don't have to use parachutes," Airman Culpepper said. "We just pretty much tie them securely together so they'll hold for the drop," said the Reservist from Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala, deployed to the 386th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron in Southwest Asia.

"It means a lot to me to be here," Airman Culpepper said. "The fact that these supplies are going to help people who really need them, I'm proud to be a part of that."

The entire team forward deployed to Kenya are from bases in Southwest Asia and the Horn of Africa supporting operations in Central Command's area of responsibility. Tech. Sgt. Torreon Shirlee, an air transportation journeyman deployed to the 386th ELRS from Little Rock AFB, Ark., says he sees the parallels between the missions of fighting the global war on terror and providing humanitarian relief.

"What we're doing in the area of responsibility is pushing cargo to help our fellow brothers and sisters look for the enemy," he said. "Here we're helping our fellow brothers and sisters to get back on their feet."

"When we come out here and launch these sorties, you see the end result," said Staff Sgt. Joachim Hunter, a communication-navigations systems technician deployed from Dyess AFB, Texas, now assigned to the 379th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. "You fill up the aircraft, it goes out and makes its drop -- you know you made an impact."

The team made its first two drops Dec. 9, delivering more than 35,000 pounds of supplies in a matter of seconds.

Making an air drop a successful event takes more than simply pushing pallets out the back door. It takes training, professionalism and a coordinated effort of the entire aircrew to hit their target.

"You have to have the right people saying the right thing at the right time to make it happen," said Capt. Russ Parramore who is deployed from Dyess AFB, Texas, and is the chief of tactics for the 746th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron.

"Everyone on the crew has to come together to accomplish this important mission of bring supplies to people who need them," he said.

The Air Force plans to deliver supplies to three different drop zones in the area. When it's time to drop the load, the Hercules slows to about 140 knots only 300 feet off the ground. To allow gravity to help roll the pallets out, Capt. Benjamin McKenzie, a pilot deployed from Dyess AFB, to the 746th EAS, positions the aircraft to an eight-degree nose-up angle. If all systems are go, the load is released and takes about four seconds to exit the Hercules. Moments later, the cargo comes crashing to the ground and is ready for use.

Captain Parramore said Operation Unity Knight serves as a great learning tool for the flight crew because back home normally train with dropping 600 pound pallets. Here, the pallets are much heavier to accommodate the supplies, and as such gives the crew an opportunity to learn how to handle the aircraft in the critical seconds after the load is dropped.

"You can't put a price on the value we're getting out of being here," Capt. Parramore said. "We're helping people in Kenya; we're getting great training; and hopefully in the process shaping a positive impression of the Air Force in the minds of people here."

In the eyes of Lars Sommerlund, the Air Force is doing a good thing. As head of the supply section for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Sommerlund knows the conditions people in the Dadaab region are facing. Up to now, only small aircraft were able to land at a nearby airfield, but their payloads were very limited. The Air Force being able to airdrop supplies is a welcome sight in the skies.

"These items are highly needed," Sommerlund said. "The assistance we're getting right now from the Air Force is extremely important."

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