Moses Lake meets the Iron Cross

Published Jan. 22, 2016
By Senior Airman Naomi Shipley
62nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. -- Moses Lake is a city of roughly 20,000 people located 200 miles east of Joint Base Lewis McChord, Wash., it also plays an important role in the mission of the 62nd Airlift Wing for two reasons: Grant Country International Airport and the Iron Cross.

The Iron Cross a.k.a. Blaine Barnett, 62nd Operations Support Squadron operations support specialist, works out of the Grant Country International Airport, Wash., and serves as a focal point for 62nd AW aircrew and the control tower.

He and his team are out on the assault runway at all hours of the night and day, rain, snow or shine, seven days a week, supporting flying operations.

"Our four person team supports all of the assault zone operations east of the cascades for the 62nd AW," said Barnett. "We survey all the assault zones and we go out and mark them for whatever type of flying operation they are doing. We score assault zone landings as well as talk to the aircraft on the radio to pass [on] current hazards, whether that is weather, birds or conditions on the ground."

The scoring portion of the team's job occurs on a runway where the aircraft simulates landing in an austere location. There are markers on the runway that identify to the pilot where they should land.

"For the aircraft sitting as high as they do and going as fast as they do, it's hard to tell specifically where they touch down," Barnett said. "So we serve as a visual reference and provide them situational awareness. This in turn gives them a good idea of where they have to aim."

The runway itself is 3,500 ft. long by 90 ft. wide. Barnett and his team give each aircraft that lands a score within a 100 ft. increment estimate.

"The feedback has been positive," said Barnett. "All the crews like having someone providing them a more accurate estimate of their touchdown. It keeps people a little more accountable and it also creates competition."

The Moses Lake team sees and supports more than 20 aircraft per week.

"We support daytime operations by scoring," Barnett said. "We support night operations with one person scoring and one person acting as the advisory service when the tower closes at 10 p.m. and they also control the lights for the runway depending on where they crew is landing."

The team stays busy serving as eyes and ears on the ground. They are not only evaluating but they are also observing the conditions for the aircraft to land.

"We are here to ensure the operation goes safely," Barnett said. "Conditions on the ground are often different than conditions in the air. Winter time weather conditions change rapidly and we can provide [the aircrew] with real time status of conditions on the landing zone. This is vital."

The team relays bird advisories daily, an action which serves to ensure safety for the aircraft.

"I remember one day on the drop zone it was right at dusk, I heard little whistling sounds and I knew immediately it was ducks," said Barnett. "I watched thousands of ducks in small groups fly across the drop zone for 15 minutes. We had a formation of aircraft flying to the drop zone. Because I noticed the ducks, I had the aircraft hold out to the south of the drop zone until it was safe."

"Bird issues out here are very significant," Barnett said. "These crews have a resource [in us] that enables them to keep flying rather than stop training because of birds."

Barnett's history with the U.S. Air Force and the wing began long before his job at Moses Lake.

He enlisted in U.S. Air Force in January 1984 and became a Survival Resistance Evasion and Escape instructor.

"I loved the job but I wanted to do something more combat oriented so I cross trained into Combat Control," said Barnett. "I did that for nearly 13 years and then I went back to being a SERE instructor."

Barnett, who said he loves to work outdoors, said he feels fortunate to be doing what he's doing now.

"I love supporting the wing and supporting the people," Barnett said. "I love being able to be a part of things especially working around the aircraft [and crew]. They're the ones going into harm's way and transporting other people into harm's way as well. It's about serving others, not yourself."

Barnett's selflessness and dedication to the job come as no surprise to those who know him including his superiors.

"His efforts have single-handedly propped up McChord's airdrop program over the last four years," said Maj. Sean McConville, 62nd OSS C-17A Globemaster III Weapons officer. "In 2015, he ran Rainer Drop Zone for 779 air drops and controlled the assault strip at Moses Lake for 1,285 night vision landings."

Barnett doesn't do it all by himself.

His team consists of Wayne Fuiten, a Vietnam-era U.S. Air Force Special Operations Weatherman and retired Combat Controller, Jeff Dicicco, also a retired U.S. Air Force Combat Controller and Will Chiaffino, a former U.S. Navy Air Traffic Controller.

"They're great folks," he said. "They're doing a great job."