Travis senior airman, Columbus native, ensures KC-10 crews are 'information ready' for combat missions

Published May 5, 2010
By Master Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol
380th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- When a KC-10 Extender crew is getting ready for a combat air refueling mission, Senior Airman Christoffer Gillis is on hand to give the latest information on what they might expect and to better prepare them information-wise on their mission.

Airman Gillis is an operations intelligence journeyman deployed with the 908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron. He is deployed from the 60th Operations Group at Travis Air Force Base, Calif. Airman Gillis described the importance of the work he does every day.

"My job is to ensure the safety and knowledge of KC-10 crews who fly daily combat sorties to three different locations by researching and providing them with up-to-date information on imminent threats, geopolitical events and significant attacks on coalition forces within the deployed areas," Airman Gillis said. "Also, every time a crew flies, we file documents and supply the crew with safety information and tools to use in case they were to become a downed aircraft."

As an operations intelligence journeyman, Airman Gillis' official Air Force job description states he is trained to instruct aircrews on collecting and reporting requirements and procedures and teach on matters such as evasion, recovery and code of conduct, recognition techniques and assessing offensive and defensive weapon system capabilities. He also prepares mission reports and conducts intelligence debriefings of U.S. and allied military personnel involved in combat operations.

The job description states intelligence Airmen like Airman Gillis also prepare, maintain and present intelligence displays, reports and briefings. They produces all-source intelligence, situation estimates, order-of-battle studies and other intelligence reports and studies.

Furthermore, to do his deployed duties, Airman Gillis has to maintain mandatory job knowledge in intelligence organizations and systems, collection and reporting systems, procedures, and methods and in intelligence information sources, military capabilities of potential enemy offensive and defensive weapon systems. He also has to know procedures for acquiring, updating and maintaining intelligence documents, maps, and charts and be fluent in map and chart use techniques.

"The intelligence career field is massively important to the daily air tasking order -- especially in an expeditionary environment," Airman Gillis said.

A native of Columbus, Ga., Airman Gillis joined the military more than three years ago. He said it's one of the best decisions he's ever made.

"It is a fantastic feeling to wake up every morning and know that I am a part of the world's greatest Air Force," Airman Gillis said. "Being in a deployed combat environment simply heightens the sensation.

"I signed myself up to be in the Air Force for 6 years, but I might as well have signed the dotted line for 20 years because I don't ever plan on getting out," Airman Gillis added. "Besides actually being born, this is by far the best thing to ever happen to me."

The 908th EARS is a sub-unit of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing. The wing is home to the KC-10 Extender, U-2 Dragon Lady, E-3 Sentry and RQ-4 Global Hawk aircraft. The wing is comprised of four groups and 12 squadrons and the wing's deployed mission includes air refueling, surveillance and reconnaissance in support of overseas contingency operations in Southwest Asia. The 380th AEW supports operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom and the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa.