AMC response groups establish airfield operations for hurricane relief

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Mark Diamond
  • Air Mobility Command Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. (AFPN) --  In support of massive relief operations to help victims of Hurricane Katrina, several elements of the Air Mobility Command Contingency Response Group deployed to Louisiana and Mississippi Aug. 30 and 31 to establish air mobility operations.

On Aug. 30, a four-person assessment team from the 615th Contingency Response Wing at Travis Air Force Base, Calif., deployed to Lafayette, La. A day later, two Contingency Response Group elements were deployed to the area; the 621st CRW at McGuire AFB, N.J., deployed a 29-person team to the New Orleans airport, and the 615th deployed a 42-person CRG element to Gulfport, Miss. Both elements later forward-deployed to Keesler AFB, Miss., to support airlift operations there.

The 621st CRW also has a 50-person CRG element on standby, ready to deploy to the area if called, said Lt. Col. Patrick Tibbetts, the 819th Global Support Squadron commander.

The elements are being used to establish airfield operations in support of the hurricane relief effort.

Colonel Tibbetts said the personnel are doing what they are trained to do, "... establish, expand, sustain and coordinate air mobility operations at any given location in a variety of environments, whether it's humanitarian relief operations or war-time operations."

The commander said the element was deployed with command and control, aerial port, aircraft maintenance and communications packages to support the mission.

For hurricane relief operations, the colonel said the elements will be providing maintenance and fuel support and aerial port functions, including loading and offloading aircraft.

"We'll have a lot of cargo coming in and a lot of people going out," he said.

From initial reports, he said the CRG personnel at the New Orleans airport are doing well.

"(621st CRW personnel) had communications set up within hour of arriving (at the airport), and they're already coordinating with other government agencies to assist in any way possible," Colonel Tibbetts said. He said he was not surprised to hear they had established operations so quickly.

"That's what we're all about," he said. "We lean forward and can be ready to go at a moments notice. Our folks are very quick to assemble; quick to deploy; light, agile teams of highly-trained and highly cross-utilized personnel. We maintain a small footprint, but we can generate the same effects of a much larger unit."

Personnel assigned to the element deployed at Keesler also realize the importance of their mission there.

Tech. Sgt. Ernest Howell, an aerial port supervisor with the element at Keesler said his unit's main focus is downloading critical humanitarian supplies off the aircraft and getting it to the distribution centers.

“We are the main focal point for getting supplies into the area and out to those who need it,” he said. “We need to bring in this humanitarian relief and disburse it as fast as possible."

The Airmen at Travis, who deployed supporting Operation Unified Assistance in January, know the challenges they may face. Operation Unified Assistance was the humanitarian effort to help those affected by the December 2004 tsunami that devastated portions of South and Southeast Asia.

“Flexibility is key,” said Senior Airman Eric Mungia, an air transportation journeyman with element. “You never know what may happen; we just have to do what we have to, (to) get things done."

Colonel Tibbetts said although the Airmen are trained for both humanitarian and contingency operations, humanitarian operations are the most fulfilling.

"The folks we deployed and anticipate deploying are doing a tremendous service," he said. "This wing pulled together tremendously well to get the teams ready and out the door as quickly as possible. It's a real testimony to their professionalism and desire to serve their country." (60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs contributed to this story. Courtesy of AMC News Service.)