Airmen provide humanitarian relief to Caribbean Islands

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class JaNae Capuno
  • 366th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
MOUNTAIN HOME AIR FORCE BASE, Idaho (AFNS) --  Airmen across the U.S. came together to support the Hurricane Irma relief effort, Sept. 12, 2017, at Mountain Home Air Force Base.

The 437th Airlift Wing out of Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina, sent a C-17 Globemaster III, and accompanying crew members, to Mountain Home AFB to transport a mobile air traffic control tower to the Caribbean Islands.

The ATC tower was provided by the Federal Aviation Administration, and was requested by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to provide relief to St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.

“The Federal Aviation Administration office in Boise, Idaho, was tasked with supplying this equipment,” said Gregory Wickard, 366th Logistics Readiness Squadron air transportation specialist. “The FAA called our office because they weren’t sure how to prepare the cargo for airlift, and how to load the C-17. We had them bring the equipment to our base, where we did all of the prep-work.”

Working alongside the 437th AW, members of the 366th LRS had the tower prepped and fuel ready to ensure the aircraft was prepared for departure.

“It was out of the norm for us,” said Wickard. “Everyone in the work center played a part to get the work done on the flight line.”