Airmen from European bases support special ops in Africa

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Phillip Ulmer
  • 435th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
TIMBUKTU, Mali (AFPN) --  Airmen from bases throughout Europe are supporting special operations forces along the fringes of the Sahara Desert in the continuing war on terrorism.

Currently, Soldiers assigned to the 1st Battalion, 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) in Stuttgart, Germany, are training African soldiers in Mali and Mauritania to provide tactical military training for the Pan Sahel Initiative. The initiative is a U.S. Department of State security-assistance program focusing on four countries in the Sahara region of Africa: Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Chad.

While this was primarily a special operations mission, it could not have started without the support of Airmen from the 86th Contingency Response Group and the 37th Airlift Squadron, both from Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

"It was a pretty complex task bringing (them) from Germany to four different locations in Africa in very austere conditions," said Capt. Chris Miller, 86th CRG deployed commander.

The 37th AS mobilized the entire unit, deploying six crews who flew 25 C-130 Hercules sorties in roughly two weeks to deliver the Soldiers and all their equipment. Forward based at Rota Air Station, Spain, and with load teams strategically placed at locations in the Pan Sahel region, the group worked 16-hour days flying daily shuttles in and out of Africa. After the desert dust had settled, they had used 10 crews per day, flew up to six missions per day, and moved more than 252 tons of cargo and 357 Soldiers into the region.

“The 37th AS maintained a 96 percent reliability rate and closed the entire mission four days early,” said 86th Airlift Wing deployed commander, Lt. Col. Bill Ward. “That was quite a feat for 40-year-old Herks.”

Army Brig Gen. Thomas Csrnko, U.S. Special Operations Command Europe commander, said the group's challenges and efforts were not unnoticed.

"The CRG is an absolutely superb unit," he said. "They got us on the ground about four days earlier than expected. We couldn't have performed our mission without them."

Once the Soldiers were on the ground and performing their mission, the 352nd Special Operations Group from Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England, flew in to deliver sustainment supplies and for training.

"We're able to support (the) mission, and we're getting training out of it at the same time," said Maj. Brian Rausch, a 7th Special Operations Squadron pilot and mission commander.

With no U.S. military installations in the area, security fell to security forces Airmen from RAF Mildenhall and RAF Lakenheath, England. These Airmen are responsible for protecting the aircraft, cargo and crew during resupply missions.

"This has been quite a trip," said Staff Sgt. Josh Carter, an anti-terrorism noncommissioned officer at RAF Lakenheath. "Even though our six-person team is working long hours and sleeping on the plane, we're making sure everyone is safe and secure."

Airmen from the 352nd SOG also conducted unilateral or "skills training." This type of training allows the Airmen to learn from different environments and situations that they normally would not encounter at familiar training ranges.

"We get a lot out of this type of training," said Master Sgt. B.K. Mitchell, 7th SOS chief loadmaster. "We performed three air operations over Timbuktu for the first time."

The air operations included two standard airdrop training bundles, basically a sandbag with a parachute attached, dropped for accuracy, and one Army personnel drop.

"This is another opportunity for our great Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines to get out on the ground and conduct meaningful training in this region," General Csrnko said. "It allows them to hone their skills and operational techniques." (Courtesy of U.S. Air Forces in Europe News Service)