For Reserve aircrew, New Year’s Eve over Iraq is routine

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Lance Cheung
  • Air Force Print News
SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFPN) --  People around the globe welcomed 2006 with a variety of New Year’s Eve celebrations.

High above Iraq, a Reserve C-130 Hercules aircrew headed for Balad Air Base, celebrated in a different way -- flying another mission in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

With the drone of the aircraft’s four propellers in the background, Senior Master Sgt. Ernie Leyba attached his night vision gear to his flight helmet. It was nearly pitch black on the flight deck, except for the pale green glow of the instrument lights. But it didn’t stop the flight engineer.

Since Thanksgiving Day, the crew from the 731st Airlift Squadron at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., has made flying in and out of the combat zone under the cloak of night a standard operating procedure. It has become as easy as lacing up their flight boots.

They know it’s the holiday, but they don’t -- can’t -- forget the seriousness of their mission. Tonight, their 13,000-pound load includes 13 passengers, oxygen, mail and a sobering pallet of human blood.

In the cargo bay, loadmaster Staff Sgt. Jason Hall -- for a moment -- had thoughts on his mind of past New Year’s Eve celebrations. He though of skiing with his girlfriend at Brackenridge. But he could not forget his job, so he kept a sharp eye on the terrain below and behind the aircraft.

Part of Sergeant Hall’s duties is to watch for incoming missile attacks. If he spots a “hot one,” he’ll fire chaff and flares to hopefully confuse and sidetrack the missile.

Staff Sgt. Kevin Nichols kept an eye on the passengers.

“One passenger looked at his watch and mentioned to the others who were awake, that it was the New Year,” Sergeant Nichols said. “A few grinned before dozing back to sleep.”

In an hour, the cargo plane would land at Balad. And in the hubbub of safely offloading their cargo, the crew would not have time to think about what the New Year might bring.

In the meantime -- on the flight deck -- Maj. Eric Heftye celebrated the New Year by passing around some fudge his grandmother made for him. Then he attached the night vision goggles to his helmet. The navigator then entered coordinates into the onboard navigation system. His fingers were a blur as he deftly enters the numbers. Now the pilots had a new path to central Iraq.

The plane continued toward Balad. The route was familiar and the crew had the routine down pat. But this mission marked the end of more than just 2005. It was the also the last mission the crew would make together.

Their deployment was coming to an end. Two of the officers are headed home to begin staff duties. And some of the crew will redeploy back to Colorado and return to their daily lives.

In between bites of fudge, Major Heftye said he’d miss working with this crew, though they all work together back home.

“Reservists are already familiar with unit members,” he said. “But these couple of months allowed us to strengthen those bonds, create really good workflows and build friendships.” 

Other Airmen -- active duty, Reserve and Guard -- will continue doing the same in 2006.