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Mobility Airmen continue front-line action of Pakistan humanitarian aid effort

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol
  • Air Mobility Command Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  Since humanitarian relief efforts began for the Pakistan monsoon flooding in late July, mobility Airmen have continuously been on the front lines of providing support and delivering supplies, reports show.

The U.S. Embassy to Pakistan reported Aug. 18 on the Air Forces Central Web site that to date, "U.S. military cargo aircraft based in Afghanistan have transported more than 194,000 pounds of relief supplies from the Pakistan Air Force's Central Flood Relief Cell to required locations throughout Pakistan in support of Government of Pakistan requests for additional airlift support.

"In addition, U.S. military helicopters conducting relief operations in partnership with the Pakistan military have rescued more than 4,800 people and transported more than 600,000 pounds of relief supplies," the report said.

Mobility Airmen were among the first on the scene of aid efforts in late July too. An Aug. 2 report from 455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, showed a C-130 Hercules first went to Pakistan July 31 delivering nearly 8,000 Halal meals, followed by a C-17 Globemaster III mission from Bagram Aug. 1 delivering more than 44,000 of the Halal meals. Halal meals, the report shows, "are similar to the U.S. military's packaged ready- to-eat meals and they're prepared according to Islamic tradition."

Capt. Robert Dodson, the C-130 aircraft commander on the first mission said in the report they were able to provide a quick response. "We had a quick response from the time we were notified to the time the pallets were on the airplane," Captain Dodson said. "The whole reason why we're here is to help others when we can and the whole crew is happy to do it."

As time has progressed, more mobility Airmen have met the need for continuous flow of aid to Pakistan. Airmen in the 817th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron at the Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan, recalled their support for an aid mission to Pakistan Aug. 2 in a report from Joint Base Charleston, S.C., Public Affairs.

"Thanks to the unique capabilities of the C-17, we were able to deliver nearly 150,000 pounds of food on this mission alone," said Capt. Timothy Goodwillie, aircraft commander of the mission in the Charleston report who is deployed with the 817th EAS from the 15th Airlift Squadron at Joint Base Charleston. "It's a great feeling to have the opportunity to deliver aid to those who really need it."

An Aug. 18 news article by American Forces Press Service, citing Pentagon spokesperson Mr. Bryan Whitman showed "the United States is sending aid as fast as the flood-stricken country can absorb it." The story also said the U.S. has provided more than $90 million in support since the flooding began July 29 and that "about 150 Sailors, Marines and Airmen are flying 15 helicopters and three C-130s in the country to deliver vital supplies."

The DOD report added that U.S. aircraft have rescued more than 5,500 people and delivered more than 500,000 pounds of relief supplies, and, between Aug. 17-18, 441,000 packaged Halal meals were delivered.

Furthermore, the DOD report said ground crews in Afghanistan are working to trans-ship the meals and other supplies. It said U.S. Transportation Command planners at Scott AFB are working with officials at U.S. Central Command, the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development to prioritize the supply missions.

And the support from mobility Airmen continues daily. The U.S. Embassy in Pakistan report said C-130 cargo aircraft based in Afghanistan transport international aid daily from the Pakistan Air Force's Central Flood Relief Cell at Chaklala Air Force Base to Sukkur, Pakistan.

Air Mobility Command officials said the Pakistan response follows the mobility community's commitment to getting help to where it is needed. For example, in 2009, mobility Air Forces airlifted nearly 900,000 tons of mission-critical, time-sensitive supplies to the battlefield -- equal to 640 fully loaded train cars that stretched out would reach over 10 miles. Additionally, since Sept. 11, 2001, AMC has airlifted more than 5 million tons of cargo.

Staff Sgt. Manuel Chacon, a C-17 loadmaster deployed with the 817th EAS also from the 15th AS at Charleston, may have best said it best for all mobility Airmen in the Charleston report.

"It is not every day that you get (to support) a humanitarian mission," he said in the Charleston news story. "I feel grateful to have the opportunity to do it."

(Tech. Sgt. Drew Nystrom, 455th AEW Public Affairs; 2nd Lt. Susan Charles, Joint Base Charleston Public Affairs; and Mr. Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service, contributed to this report.)