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Tech. Sgt. James Schenck, 405th Logistics Readiness Squadron cargo and special handling noncommissioned officer in charge, pushes a container express box off a C-17A Globemaster III and onto a K-loader at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia, Dec. 31, 2013. Schenck is deployed from Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., and is assigned to the 405th Air Expeditionary Group. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Stephany Richards)

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Staff Sgt. Orial Christopher, 817th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron loadmaster, secures cargo in a C-17A Globemaster III at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, Jan. 3, 2014. Christopher is deployed from Joint Base Charleston, S.C., in support of the 405th Air Expeditionary Group. The 405th AEG supports U.S. Central Command's Deployment and Distribution Operation Center, a strategically located air, land and sea logistics hub, playing a critical role in the U.S. departure from Afghanistan. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Stephany Richards)

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Contractors with the 405th Air Expeditionary Group unload a Mine Resistant Ambush-Protected vehicle from a flatbed trailer at the sea port at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia, Dec. 31, 2013. The 405th AEG supports U.S. Central Command's Deployment and Distribution Operation Center, a strategically located air, land and sea logistics hub, playing a critical role in the U.S. departure from Afghanistan. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Stephany Richards)

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A C-17A Globemaster III with the 817th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron receives cargo at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, Jan. 3, 2014. The C-17A is deployed from Joint Base Charleston, S.C., and is part of the 405th Air Expeditionary Group's mission while deployed. The 405th AEG supports U.S. Central Command's Deployment and Distribution Operation Center, a strategically located air, land and sea logistics hub, playing a critical role in the U.S. departure from Afghanistan. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Stephany Richards)

Distribution center key to U.S. departure in Afghanistan

Published Jan. 13, 2014
By Staff Sgt. Stephany Richards
U.S. Air Forces Central Command Public Affairs

SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFNS) -- Airmen supporting U.S. Central Command's Deployment and Distribution Operation Center, a strategically located air, land and sea logistics hub, are playing a critical role in the U.S. departure from Afghanistan.

The 405th Air Expeditionary Group Airmen have completed more than 2,900 missions and moved more than 23,000 pieces of cargo to and from the area of responsibility -- primarily supporting Afghanistan operations -- from an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia.

Well-known for their 2010 role in receiving and rushing heavy Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles and other equipment into Afghanistan in record time, the Airmen have reversed processes to speed Afghanistan retrograde efforts.

"This multi-modal mission was designed by U.S. Transportation Command and CENTCOM to get the needed equipment to the fight more efficiently," said Col. Keith Thibodeaux, 405th Air Expeditionary Group commander.

"The air method was very costly but we were able to move everything very fast. As the requirement continued to grow we needed a cheaper way to do this," said Thibodeaux. "That's where the multi-modal concept came into play."

Today, Airmen fly C-17s loaded with equipment out of Afghanistan to the 405th AEG airfield. Equipment is downloaded from the aircraft and then trucked two hours to the port and loaded onto ships. Aerial transport, the most expensive shipping option, is reduced from 18 hours to three, according to Thibodeaux.

By flying the equipment to the 405th AEG from theater and then shipping by sea, the military saves time and money. In 2010, TRANSCOM estimated it saved more than $450 million in airfreight costs.

We have increased the cargo flow through this multi-modal hub since this last summer, said Thibodeaux. "We were moving about 150 pieces a month and now we are moving about 400 a month. So, while we continue to move more and more cargo, we are doing it cost-efficiently and are saving tax payer dollars."

Every day and around the clock, as equipment arrives, aerial porters rapidly prepare it for transport. At the same time, fuels specialists refuel transport aircraft to speed their departure. A support team including fire fighters, security forces, vehicle maintainers and many more contribute to the mission.

"It's a very unique group of people. It's a total force effort," Thibodeaux said. "There are about 800 people here and you will never know if they are active duty, Guard or Reserve. There are also six different chains of command on this base that are supporting three four-star generals and two combatant commanders; however everyone works together to get the mission done successfully."