Commentary: Proud to be an Airman, prouder to be an American

Published Jan. 19, 2010
By Master Sgt. Sean P. Houlihan
628th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. -- Throughout my almost 20 years in the Air Force, there have been thousands of things which made me proud to be an Airman and mostly definitely an American, and my experience of flying to Haiti Jan. 18 with supplies on board a C-17 Globemaster III stands out among those which will forever be forged into my memory.

Even though I spent only three hours on the ground and another two hours on a flight back to an airport outside Orlando, Fla., with 56 American evacuees, the five hours reinforced my unending belief in my fellow service members who wear the uniform of our country so proudly each and every day. But during the worst of times, as it is currently in Haiti after last week's devastating earthquake, the men and women wearing our nation's uniform should sleep well tonight knowing they are making a difference for humanity.

My journey today started with escorting a journalist from the Wall Street Journal and two members of the Air Force Art Program to our C-17. As we arrived at the jet, Airmen and civilians from the 437th Aerial Port Squadron were loading 16 pallets of Meals Ready to Eat and water for Soldiers from the 82nd Airborne at Fort Bragg, N.C., who arrived in Haiti just a few short days ago. The "port dawgs," as they are affectionately called, loaded nearly 40,000 bottles of water and 30,000 MREs into the massive cargo aircraft.

During our trip down to Haiti, my three traveling companions were amazed at how well orchestrated the loading of the aircraft occurred. What we didn't know then, was that we hadn't seen anything yet.

Upon our arrival at Port-au-Prince's airport, the first thing you couldn't miss was the large amount of aircraft noise on the very small airport with a single runway, taxiway and small tarmac to park aircraft. There was only room for what seemed about 15 to 18 aircraft. Most of the parking spots were filled.

The second thing that struck me was just the shear amount of people literally running from one place to another. There were U.S. military, United Nation peacekeepers and even some journalists. They were running not because something was wrong, but it seemed as a sense of urgency as though they needed to get to their destination ... now.

I continued to survey the area as now the sounds of forklifts, cargo loaders and Navy helicopters filled the air. My first responsibility was to escort the Wall Street Journal reporter to a public affairs representative from Air Force Special Operations Command. The task took only a couple of minutes, after which I returned to the aircraft to join the two members of the Air Force Art Program in exploring the tarmac area.

Our first stop was to watch Soldiers from the 82nd Airborne load MRE cases and water to their vehicles. Each member of the detail, about 30 Soldiers strong, didn't say much and just moved the supplies until their vehicles were full. They had completed their task so quickly, they were gone before I could even ask them what their mission was.

Just a few hundred feet away 82nd Airborne Soldiers and also Sailors from the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson loaded water and MRE cases onto Navy HH-60 helicopters. The helicopters were filled quickly to their capacity. There was shear amazement as trip after trip Soldiers and Sailors worked side by side loading a cart, pulling it down a small hill to the awaiting helicopter after each load. In about 15 minutes, the next round of two helicopters would arrive and they once again would be filled.

These Soldiers and Sailors, most of them in their early 20s, were focused, serious and dedicated to one thing - making sure these supplies were loaded on the helicopters to be flown to supply points around the country. They went about their yeoman's work with little to no expressions or conversation.

Our aircraft by this time had been off-loaded and the American evacuees had arrived and were standing in the shade created by the C-17. With the assistance of the three Air Force Phoenix Ravens, who specialize in in-flight and plane-side security at austere global locations, the five Airmen from the aircrew began the process of loading the evacuees on the aircraft. Each evacuee would get on the aircraft with just one suitcase, which now represented for some of them all their worldly possessions. Many needed assistance just to get up the ramp and onto the aircraft.

I saw a Raven holding an infant child as a mother helped her other child into a seat. The site of the Airman holding the child touched me enough that I ran across the aircraft to get my camera. I had enough time to take four photos, but none of them captured the essence of the moment as I had hoped. Besides the evacuees, Fox News Channel Bill Hemmer and his videographer, Tommy Chui, were also on the aircraft heading back to the U.S.

During the flight back to Florida, I had the chance to sit and talk to them about the experiences on the ground while reporting around the area. Mr. Hemmer explained to me how before American service members arrived at the airport, there was chaos and mass confusion occurring, from handing out food and water to Haitians, aircraft arriving and departing to providing security in the area.

He explained how in a few short hours after the first aircraft landed with a United States flag on the back of the plane, a vast amount of improvement was evident in how the airport was running. He spoke so highly of the service members on the ground, giving them credit for the turnabout at the airport and the how they were enabling the massive movement of relief supplies needed to the millions of Haitians affected by this epic disaster.

After stopping in Florida on the return trip, the aircrew and Ravens, this time with the assistance of U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents, assisted everyone on the aircraft in what seemed to be less than five minutes. I would also say goodbye to Mr. Hemmer and Mr. Chui at this point.

Mr. Hemmer said he would give a "shout out" once again tomorrow during his show to the men and women of the United States military for their work in Haiti. He said there will also be one for the Air Force for allowing him to return to the United States safely and for the massive undertaking we are currently handling to get relief supplies into the country.

My day's journey was short, but it's one that will stay with me forever. Once again, today, I am proud to be an Airman - but even more than that - a proud American who believes in this country and what it stand for. To my fellow service men and women whose actions and courage I witnessed today, thank you cannot be said stronger and with more respect.