C-17 Globemaster III Airmen lift off

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Oshawn Jefferson
  • U.S. AFCENT Combat Camera Team
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  More than 100 Airmen with the 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron have brought their combat airlift professionalism and "combat musk" to missions supporting Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom, Southwest Asia and the Horn of Africa.

"We are excited to be here and look forward to continuing to use the power of airlift to support warfighters and be an asset for air and ground commanders through the AOR," said Maj. Mike Parker, 816th EAS C-17A Globemaster III pilot deployed from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. "As a team we worked and trained hard and we will continue to build on the great work of our predecessors."

The McChord Airmen are replacing Airmen from 14th Airlift Squadron who return to Joint Base Charleston, S.C., after a four-month deployment here May 1. The Charleston combat airlifters logged more than 8,000 hours, flying nearly 3,000 sorties and delivered 148-million pounds of cargo within their area of responsibility.

"As you can see from the numbers, we were very busy while deployed," said Lt. Col. Randall Huiss, 14th AS commander. "The squadron did a fantastic job supporting the warfighter by both air land and air drop missions. I couldn't be prouder of my squadron."

The squadron now holds a new record for the number of bundles and amount of weight airdropped during an EAS deployment. They completed missions over 160 drop zones, delivering more than 5,000 bundles, which in turn resulted in more than 8.1 million pounds of supplies distributed to warfighters throughout the theater.

"No question that the team from Charleston did a great job serving warfighters throughout the AOR during their time here," said Senior Airmen Kevin Johnson, 816th EAS loadmaster deployed from JBLM. "But we brought our combat musk, (Senior Airman Johnson's aircrew puts on special aftershave cologne prior to airdropping bundles out of the back of a C-17) great leadership and a team of motivated Airmen ready to do the job wherever and whenever we are called upon."

Since the McChord team took over operations May 2, they have been flying an average of four missions a day; providing global strategic airlift, airdrop, aeromedical evacuation and humanitarian relief, to create an air bridge for personnel, equipment and supplies throughout their assigned areas of responsibility.

"It's an honor to be serving in the AOR at a time like this," said 1st Lt. Chris Bohner, 816th EAS C-17A pilot deployed from JBLM and serving on his first deployment. "From supplying our troops on the ground, to humanitarian efforts, to moving people and cargo, we get a chance to make a difference for our nation. It fills me with pride to do a job that serves so many people and I look forward to what our team will get a chance to accomplish."