Versatile KC-10 Builds Relationships, Fights Insurgents

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Chelsea Smith
  • 514th Air Mobility Wing public affairs
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. --  In just one mission, Airmen flying a KC-10 Extender were able to strike a blow to Afghan insurgents, improve relations with Air Force leaders in Europe and ease the travel burdens of overseas service members.

"Not bad for a training mission," said Col. Michael Underkofler, 514th Air Mobility Wing commander.

While the flight to Ramstein Air Base, Germany, was originally planned to familiarize pilots with over-ocean flying procedures, the KC-10's versatility allowed other mission objectives to hop aboard. When the Airmen of the 78th Air Refueling Squadron took-off from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst on Feb. 15, they found many tons of additional cargo and passengers tagging along with them.

The bulk of the cargo was made up of eight stacked pallets of soybeans seeds destined for Afghan farmers. The seeds will be used to encourage sustainable agricultural growth in Afghanistan as a substitute for opium farming, which has been linked to funding the insurgency, said Underkofler, who joined his Airmen on the flight.

Also joining the Airmen were more than 25 off-duty military passengers and family members, who were able to take advantage of free passage across the Atlantic as they traveled to and from their home units, visiting family or taking emergency leave.

Though the extra cargo and passengers traveled without cost, they helped earn their passage. The packed aircraft, which carried about 150,000 pounds more than a normal training mission, provided a good challenge for the aircrew who had to make adjustments to account for the added weight, said Capt. Michael Petruska, a pilot with the squadron.

The co-pilot on the flight was 1st Lt. Joe Callan. He said he benefitted from training in European air space, especially since most training sorties don't stray too far from the East Coast.

"It's crucial to be able to train on overseas procedures and sharpen communications with people that may have Dutch, German or other foreign accents at command and control units," he said.

Air Force leaders on both sides of the Atlantic hope for more multipurpose missions between Germany and New Jersey. Though Underkofler said that standard training missions to Ramstein are few and far between because its airfield is so busy, which limits ramp space and stresses its workforce. Increasing the number of missions that merge operational needs with training requirements will improve the chances of setting up a pipeline between the two bases.

"In tight economic times, missions serving multiple purposes provide a win-win situation because our pilots get the training, passengers and cargo get moved and we're able to cultivate a working relationship with our European counterparts," said Underkofler.

One of those counterparts is Col. Robert Huston, a Reserve advisor to the commander of the Ramstein-based Africa Command. One of his duties is linking reservists to missions in United States Air Forces in Europe, or USAFE. Huston said he will continue to promote Reserve missions between Ramstein and McGuire as long as it remains a cost-effective means of achieving air mobility objectives.

Underkofler said he hopes the wing can do one or two missions to Ramstein per month to establish a more predictable pattern for USAFE leaders. "When just one of these missions provides so much value, it would be negligent to ignore more of the same."