• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

March 14,  2003

AMC vice commander lauds efforts of cargo handlers

By Master Sgt. Karen Petitt
Air Mobility Command Public Affairs

CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. (AMCNS) - Air Mobility Command's vice commander made it a priority Wednesday to personally thank the men and women here who've been working two weeks nonstop to move 5,000 tons of cargo to the Middle East.

Lt. Gen. John R. Baker said although he sees Charleston's situation reports each morning and knows how busy they've become "on paper," he wanted to see first hand how they've been able to handle the cargo and to see how much longer they can sustain the strain of a higher operations tempo.

Charleston's relatively steady work as a transport hub became a roar of activity last month when AMC officials were forced to divert supplies normally shipped out of Dover AFB, Del., after a February snowstorm collapsed the roofs of two large warehouses there. At the time, the cargo could not be sent through nearby McGuire AFB, N.J., because the severe weather also hindered that base's airlift mission.

As the cargo began arriving, members of the Charleston's 437th Aerial Port Squadron and Logistics Readiness Squadron were ready. More than 70 trucks a day streamed in -- up from the normal five to seven trucks each day. To assist the home-station folks, more than 150 active-duty and reserve airmen quickly deployed from other AMC units to assist with the sudden crush of operations.

General Baker said Dover's cargo missions should return there after a full assessment of the situation. Initial plans called for the shift to Charleston to last 90 days.

The general's Charleston visit included short briefings from cargo handlers such as Senior Airman Walter Towers, deployed here from Scott AFB, Ill., who showed how he processes cargo into the computer system so it can be tracked throughout its journey overseas. Staff Sgt. Mark Frick, 437th APS, showed the general how he ships hazardous materials (munitions, batteries, etc.) And, Tech. Sgt. Scott Morrison, 437th APS, presented updated flight schedules and requested more airlift for certain parts of the operating theater. In addition, several others demonstrated their capabilities in loading and unloading aircraft, palletizing the equipment for shipping and how they are working around a few challenges of insufficient storage space and some equipment malfunctions.

The general also talked with the wing's senior staff about how headquarters can improve designating cargo priorities, and other means to ship the cargo besides military or contracted aircraft to get other than those deemed "critical" or "immediate" supplies overseas.

"Charleston has always been there to support AMC in its missions with the valuable contributions of the C-17, and with the tremendous efforts of their people to get the work done under difficult circumstances," said General Baker. "It's been great to see first-hand how they help AMC put the 'global' in our motto: 'Global Reach - Global Power.' We still have a lot of work ahead of us, and that's why it's important to take a few moments to thank the team for stepping up to the plate when they were needed most."

Charleston's wing commander, Col. Brooks Bash, said stepping up to the plate is no problem, "because our morale is very high. We're very proud to be Americans and to be contributing to the War on Terrorism."