C-130s drop humanitarian aid into Pakistan Published Nov. 4, 2005 By Army Sgt. Douglas DeMaio 20th Public Affairs Detachment BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan (AFPN) -- Two C-130 Hercules aircrews left here Oct. 29 and airdropped an estimated 50,000 pounds of humanitarian supplies to victims of the Oct. 8 earthquake in Pakistan. Fourteen containers filled with food, water, shelter and supplies descended by parachute to people below. “As far as the C-130 goes, you not only have a wartime mission, you have a peacetime mission, and that is was we did today,” said Staff Sgt. Mario Mendizabal, a 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron loadmaster. The Airmen flew into Afghanistan, loaded the aircraft and set out on the relief mission. They credit their mission success to the preparation, planning and coordination of many individuals. “We definitely couldn’t have done it without all the support,” said Capt. Nate Dillon, a 774th EAS pilot. “It all worked out with efficient planning.” “The only thing that was going through my mind was sticking with the checklist because it covers everything; and that’s what I did,” Sergeant Mendizabal said. Most of the aircrew had never taken part in a humanitarian relief mission, so the experience for them meant something special, they said. “It’s a very rewarding experience,” Captain Dillon said. “I think I can speak for all of us by saying that.”However, the change of mission did present its challenges, Captain Dillon said. Releasing the cargo on an unfamiliar drop zone is a difficult thing to accomplish, he said. But just like his loadmasters, their training for their deployment to Operation Enduring Freedom proved fruitful for the Airmen. “We train for this at home in Alaska, and you see the same drop zone,” Captain Dillon said. “When you go into an unfamiliar route, the terrain is a lot more significant. You have to time everything just right.” The front crew was cool, calm and collected while performing an airdrop on a drop zone they never saw and probably will never see again, Sergeant Mendizabal said. He said the confidence they gained from the success of their mission will help them face future missions, and this was just part of their job. “If it’s hurricane relief, earthquake relief or tsunami relief, whatever you got for us, we can handle it,” he said.