Elmendorf Airmen, Hurricane Hunters continue missions while at McChord

  • Published
  • By Tyler Hemstreet
  • Staff writer
MCCHORD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  Even without their own support equipment, operating from temporary work quarters and spending nights in a local hotel, Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, Airmen continue flying their missions.

Working with McChord Airmen while on temporary deployment here, the dedicated group continues to launch their U.S. Pacific Command, North American Aerospace Defense Command and U. S. Transportation Command missions.

McChord welcomed five C-17 Globemaster IIIs and three C-130J Hurricane Hunters and nearly 200 Reserve and active-duty Airmen from Elmendorf starting Jan. 31 as part of a precautionary redeployment in light of increased activity associated with Mount Redoubt volcano, located approximately 100 miles from Elmendorf.

Since arriving at McChord, the Elmendorf C-17s have flown six missions and 18 locals, even combining efforts with McChord aircrews on a couple local airdrops.

The Hurricane Hunters, from Kessler AFB, Miss., who were on assignment at Elmendorf, have flown five total missions.

"(The experience) was far beyond our highest expectations as far as cooperation goes," said Lt. Col. Mark Carter, 53rd Weather Squadron mission commander, part of the Air Force Reserve Command 403rd Wing which flies the Hurricane Hunters. "McChord has given us everything that we've asked for from ground transportation to vehicle dispatch to getting local weather and any special charts."

The same rang true with the active-duty units from Elmendorf.

"Everything's been pretty seamless, no big obstacles, no big headaches," said Master Sgt. Lawrence Craven, 703rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron production superintendent. "Morale is pretty good."

Elmendorf maintenance crews have been taking advantage of the warmer weather here -- compared to the recent minus 10 degree temperatures in Alaska -- to accomplish some jobs on their aircraft that cannot be accomplished safely in extreme temperatures.

"When we're working certain jobs in those icy conditions, it can be a little bit hazardous when you've got negative ten degrees outside and you've got ice on the stabilizer," said Airman 1st Class Joshua Bearinger, 703rd AMXS. "Here we don't have that, so it's much easier to get up there and make those changes."

Working with McChord Airmen, Elmendorf maintainers set up an agreement with the parts store to ensure maintainers can get the parts they need to keep missions for the three different commands they support up and running.

"McChord's been very helpful in enabling us to get the parts we need," Airman Bearinger said.

The Elmendorf wings even brought down their own maintenance quality assurance Airmen to ensure mission success, said Master Sgt. Stephen Santos, 703rd AMXS first sergeant.

"We're setting up shop just like back at our home station," he said.

To supplement their fleet of rental cars, Elmendorf also airlifted a few vans to McChord to simplify the transportation situation, Sergeant Santos said.

Airmen were also able to negotiate an agreement with a local gym so they could work out closer to their temporary quarters while they are here, he said.

The temporary deployment was initially scheduled for up to 30 days, and the Elmendorf Airmen routinely check on the volcano conditions back home.

"We're pretty much on hold for the volcano," Sergeant Craven said.