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Presidential support in Panama

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Victor J. Caputo
  • 22nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. --  Seventy-five Team McConnell members provided support for President Barack Obama's recent trip to Panama during a Central American relations mission.

The refuelers passed approximately 472,000 pounds of fuel during 12 missions flown over a 30-hour period.

"It always an honor to be entrusted with the nation's highest-priority mission," said Lt. Col. Pamela Freeland, 22nd Air Refueling Wing Director of Staff and mission commander.

Presidential support is not uncommon for some members of the 22nd ARW, with Freeland completing her third such mission in two years.

The crews from McConnell AFB worked in tandem with crews from MacDill AFB, Fla., during the first stages of the mission.

"MacDill can read out across the Atlantic," said Freeland, "but for a large-scale operation, they can't support the full mission. McConnell, with its larger aircraft inventory and crew force can usually support a large-scale operation over several days."

The mission to Panama wasn't quite as simple as flying to the nearest Air Force base and launching sorties like normal. A small team was sent ahead of the rest of the group to begin setting up the proper infrastructure.

"The first part of my job was to arrive before the rest of the team and sort of assess the situation," said Capt. Eric Kowalski, 22nd Security Forces Squadron operations officer and mission force protection officer. "I had to ensure the location we were going to was secure. It involved a lot of work with the U.S. Embassy [in Panama]."

Kowalski and two others arrived two days in advance and immediately began preparation for the rest of the crew to land and begin planning how they would refuel their three receivers.

"It was a little hectic at first," said Kowalksi, "but the operations staff did a great job piecing things together with limited information, and at the end of the day we were all there for the same reason, the host nation and us, so that made it a lot easier to collaborate on things."

After 12 sorties in support of the president's mission in Central America, the crews began packing up and flew back to McConnell AFB with more knowledge and skill than they arrived with.

"It's always a growing experience for all of the members who go," said Freeland. "As they develop as NCOs and officers for future roles, they become equipped to be the leaders the next time around or later in the future. You're 'growing up' your replacement."