by Master Sgt. Angie Sarchet, Air Mobility Command Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. (AFNS) -- Air mobility Airmen are providing their experience and expertise to the Air Force's newest geographic combatant command, U.S. Africa Command, and its components with daily C-17 Globemaster III and C-130 Hercules airlift missions across the continent.
"Intratheather airlift is fundamental to building and supporting U.S. Africa Command" said Col. Bob Holba, Air Mobility Division chief for the 617th Air and Space Operations Center at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
Air Mobility Command Airmen and aircraft provide critical airlift for U.S. and African forces including shuttling passengers, transporting resupply materials for forces on the continent, moving United Nations peacekeepers and peacekeeping equipment, or taking part in military-to-military engagements between the U.S. Air Force and African partners. AMC professionals assist 17th Air Force officials contribute to sustained security engagements across the continent.
AMC officials assist with the demand for air mobility knowledge while moving passengers and equipment. Since the command's air component, 17th Air Force, currently does not possess its own assigned aircraft, AMC assets provide global air mobility. AMC visibly demonstrates that support with aircraft and Airmen from AMC bases on four month air and space expeditionary force deployments to the region.
AMC Airmen share their expertise on all aspects of airlift on the ground and in the classroom. Air mobility liaison officers literally lay the groundwork by coordinating landing zones, while AMC instructors from Hurlburt Field, Fla., visit the continent and make recommendations for improving operations, tailoring training to meet the unique demands and challenges of the Africa airspaces.
"Planning missions to stand up and support U.S. Africa Command requirements has been a good experience," said Maj. Dan Weible, a 618th Tanker Airlift Control Center planner. "We're in a great position to lend our mobility experience to AFRICOM as the (Defense Department's) newest component command, and it's been rewarding to see the end result of those missions."
Because the new command's focus is sustained security engagement, air mobility knowledge and systems provide the foundation for 17th Air Force operational processes and missions, and AMC Airmen contribute to building partnerships along the way. From Oct. 1, 2008 to June 16, 2009, AMC C-130s deployed in direct support of 17th Air Force flew 1,086 missions, moving more than 830 passengers and more than 506 tons of cargo into Africa, Colonel Holba said.
While airlift missions in Africa provide a unique experience in themselves, a recent mission focused on American Airmen working side by side with their African counterparts enhancing understanding of the mobility culture. AMC Airmen traveled to Ghana to partner with deployed 17th Air Force personnel in support of President Barack Obama's first visit to the continent. Master Sgt. Ken Duran deployed from the 819th Global Support Squadron at McGuire AFB, N.J., said his team was excited about their first visit to the African continent to support the president's peacekeeping efforts.
Even after 17th Air Force reaches full operational capability (scheduled this October), it will continue to rely on professional AMC Airmen to help fulfill its mission.
"In part because of our lean construct, our reliance on mobility expertise from outside 17 AF will not go away when we reach full operational capability status," Colonel Holba said. "If anything it will continue to mature as U.S. Africa Command and its components further develop their security engagement programs, which is the stated cornerstone of our (combatant command's) mission. We'll continue to rely on AMC Airmen to provide airlift across the continent, and provide expertise by augmenting our staff directorates and Air and Space Operations Center."
Winning the overseas contingency operation with our joint and coalition partners is job number one for AMC and the Air Force. AMC routinely accomplishes this through increased velocity and capacity to deliver our mission to the warfighter.
AMC Airmen are in harm's way every day to deliver troops, cargo and fuel with speed and precision. On a typical day, mobility forces plan about 900 sorties, move nearly 2,000 tons of cargo and more than 6,000 passengers. This operations tempo equates to a mobility aircraft planned departure every 90 seconds or less, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
