Mildenhall OST

  • Published
  • By Senior Master Sgt. Chuck Kramer
  • 88th Aerial Port Squadron
JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST --       
      Today's Air Force Reserve is focused on providing the most effective training possible so Reservist stay as proficient in their skill sets as their active duty counterparts.  However, in a climate of shrinking budgets and "doing more with less", maximizing resources to get the most out of training time can be a bit challenging. 
      The 514th Air Mobility Wing at Joint Base, McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., has embraced these challenges in many areas and demonstrated it on a recent off station training mission to Royal Air Force Mildenhall in the United Kingdom. 
      The 732d Airlift Squadron was tasked with moving cargo and members of the 514th Security Forces Squadron to RAF Mildenhall.  Now this could have been just a typical cargo and passenger flight over the pond, but Chief Master Sgt. Juan Claudio, chief loadmaster for the 732d and Lt. Col. Josiah W. Crane, chief of 514th Operations Group Current Operations, reached out to mission partners in the 514th to see if other squadrons could capitalize on this mission. The 514th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, 514th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 514th Operations Support Squadron, and both the 88th and 35th Aerial Port Squadrons jumped at the chance and put plans in motion to provide their Airmen with real world training. 
      The C-17 Globemaster III's ability to be converted into a "flying hospital" and its many different configurations for cargo made it the perfect platform for this type of multi-faceted training mission. 
      Master Sgt. Marc Godlewski, mission crew coordinator for the 514th AES said that having the long flight over the Atlantic provides more training time for his AES flight crew members. 
      "Two separate seven hour legs gave us time to accomplish many of the annual tasks that can only be checked off during a flying mission.  We already do this with local flights during drill weekends, but the shorter flights mean less people can participate and fewer tasks get accomplished on those missions" said Godlewski. 
      One of the many annual requirements for AES flight crew members to stay current is to accomplish a flight emergency task.  Because of the long flight times on this trip, the normal flight crew of three medical technicians and two flight nurses was augmented with an additional technician and two additional nurses.  All were able to use the mission to 'check-off' all of their requirements for the year and Godlewski even added some more specialized training tasks to the mission because they had the extra time.
      Members of the 88th and 35th Aerial Port Squadrons were afforded a joint training opportunity that they rarely get on the ground.  88th APS Operations Superintendent, Chief Master Sgt. Ronald Wink said his four-person team was able to experience things that they rarely get to do or see.  Upon arriving at the aircraft, his team helped the AES set up litters and equipment for the mission, as well as reconfigured the ramp of the C-17 from rolling stock (wheeled vehicles) to load palletized cargo. 
      "This is not something we regularly get to do with the static aircraft we use on unit training assembly weekends.  Because we were able to see the full evolution of a flying mission, we were able to take away a better understanding of 'why' we do things a certain way on the ground" said Wink.  "This first-hand knowledge will be passed on during our UTAs and we may add some of the things we learned to our training plans." 
      Senior Master Sgt. Tom Clayton, loadmaster for the 732d AS assured his team of four loadmasters provided as many training opportunities as possible for this mission.  Aircraft systems were explained and demonstrated on each leg of the flight and during operations on the ground. 
      In addition to the medical and aerial port folks, two aircraft maintainers were on board, and luckily so.  Upon engine start up at RAF Mildenhall a minor electrical problem presented itself.  Crew Chief, Tech. Sgt. John Casey and Senior Airman Joe Lorenzo leapt into action with the flight crew and promptly identified and corrected the issue so the mission could continue as planned. 
      "The C-17 is a very complex flying platform with hundreds of systems all working together to provide a safe and extremely versatile airlift platform," said Casey.  "The goal of any mission is to not have any problems with the aircraft, but if something does break, the maintainers on board get the opportunity to identify and rectify any issues that may arise."  This type of real-world critical thinking, and in-depth knowledge of the Globemaster III, provides a training ground for the maintainers that not only expands their abilities, but assures that a mission will continue with little interruption and save the Air Force tens of thousands of dollars that will not have to be spent to send a team in to fix the plane. 
      Of course, all of this is not possible without trained pilots and loadmasters. 
      Due to the ever changing flight procedures internationally, flight crew training is a key requirement on overseas missions.  Each pilot needs a minimum of one mission outside the U.S. annually to stay current.  Five pilots from three different units in the 514th, used this flight to get their overseas requirements accomplished, and also used it as an aircraft commander recommendation ride for Capt. Tyler Keltner who is new to the 732d.  Keltner is a former active duty pilot for the 6th Airlift Squadron on JBMDL and recently transferred to the Reserve from an assignment at the Air Force Academy.  On this mission he needed to get everything signed off as an AC to command missions in the C-17. 
      Lt. Col. Ken Burch, chief 514th Operations Group Standardizations and Evaluation said this kind of mission assures an aircraft commander has the knowledge and experience to take responsibility for a very expensive plane and ensure the safety of the passengers, cargo and crew. 
      "We provide the trainee with an experienced instructor pilot who can mentor them through the pilot requirements and complex procedures, when flying trans-oceanic and in foreign air space," said Burch.
      In addition to the specific AFSC training accomplished on this OST the big take away was the rare opportunity to see other units do what they do best and learn first-hand how we can integrate during a mission.  Aerial Porters were assisting loadmasters with tying down pallets, luggage and reconfiguring the aircraft, but also got the opportunity to assist AES with setting up their systems for an air evacuation mission.  Pilots, loadmasters and maintainers were brought together to ensure the plane was flight worthy and safe when a system warning showed a problem.  AES completed much more training than on a normal UTA flight and were able to pass on their configuration knowledge to other AFSCs on the flight. 
      Mission call sign "Reach 104" was an example of the Freedom Wing's priorities.  The members of the 514th AMW "Deployed combat ready Airmen" on an overseas mission, "Developed our Airmen" with cross career familiarization and training, "Defended (and demonstrated) the way we serve" with an all Reserve crew, and had some "Fun" along the way.  One Team, One Fight!