Operation Achilles: Leaflet airdrop delivers message to Taliban
By Staff Sgt. Carlos Diaz, U.S. Central Command Air Forces Public Affairs
/ Published March 07, 2007
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Airman 1st Class Josh Huffman, a C-130 Hercules loadmaster, drops a box of 10,000 warning leaflets over the southeastern mountains of Afghanistan March 6. The leaflets were used to communicate with Taliban extremists, warning them not to interfere with coalition activities. The leaflet airdrop mission is contributing to Operation Achilles, launched by the International Security Assistance Force to create an environment that will enable the government of Afghanistan to help improve security and the quality of life for Afghan people. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Cecilio Ricardo)
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Master Sgt. Jim Read, a C-130 Hercules loadmaster, mentally prepares himself for his first warning leaflet airdrop mission March 6 over the southeastern mountains of Afghanistan. The leaflet airdrop mission is contributing to Operation Achilles, launched by International Security Assistance Force, to create an environment that will enable the government of Afghanistan to help improve security and the Afghan people's quality of life. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Cecilio Ricardo)
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Tech. Sgt. Aaron Jennings, a C-130 Hercules loadmaster, locks his harness March 6 in preparation to drop 30,000 warning leaflets over the southern mountains of Afghanistan. The leaflet airdrop mission is contributing to Operation Achilles, launched March 6 by International Security Assistance Force, to create an environment that will enable the government of Afghanistan to help improve security and the Afghan people's quality of life. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Cecilio Ricardo)
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Staff Sgt. Jeremy Fraser a C-130 Hercules flight chief engineer, performs a preflight check March 6 in preparation for a warning leaflet airdrop over the Afghanistan. The leaflet airdrop mission is contributing to Operation Achilles, launched by International Security Assistance Force, to create an environment that will enable the government of Afghanistan to help improve security and the Afghan people's quality of life. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Cecilio Ricardo)
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Technical Sgt. Aaron Fletcher, C-130 Hercules loadmaster, concentrates on preparations to drop 30,000 warning leaflets March 6 over the southeastern mountains of Afghanistan. The leaflets were used to communicate with Taliban extremists, warning them not to interfere with coalition activities. The leaflet airdrop mission is contributing to Operation Achilles, launched March 6 by International Security Assistance Force. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Cecilio Ricardo)
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Captain Tim Romin, a C-130 Hercules aircraft navigator, coordinates mission maneuvers with his crew March 6 before dropping 30,000 warning leaflets over the southeastern mountains of Afghanistan. The leaflet airdrop mission is contributing to Operation Achilles launched by International Security Assistance Force to help improve security and the Afghan people's quality of life. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Cecilio Ricardo)
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Master Sgt. Jim Read, a C-130 Hercules loadmaster, scans the terrain for enemy activity March 6 while he and his crew prepare to drop 30,000 warning leaflets over the southeastern mountains of Afghanistan. The leaflet airdrop mission is contributing to Operation Achilles launched by International Security Assistance Force to help improve security and the Afghan people's quality of life. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Cecilio Ricardo)
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Maj. Jaska Cason, a C-130 Hercules mission commander, calculates coordinates and prepares his crew to drop 30,000 warning leaflets over the southeastern mountains of Afghanistan. The March 6 leaflet airdrop mission is contributing to Operation Achilles, launched by the International Security Assistance Force to create an environment that will enable the government of Afghanistan to help improve security and the quality of life for Afghan people. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Cecilio Ricardo)
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Master Sgt. Corey Turner, a C-130 Hercules loadmaster, thanks an International Security Assistance Force member March 6 for providing three boxes of 30,000 warning leaflets that were later dropped over the southeastern mountains of Afghanistan. The leaflet airdrop mission is contributing to Operation Achilles, launched by International Security Assistance Force, to create an environment that will enable the government of Afghanistan to help improve security and the Afghan people's quality of life. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Cecilio Ricardo)
Southwest Asia --
The message was clear and well delivered.
A C-130 Hercules airdrop mission dropped 30,000 warning leaflets over the mountainous terrain of southeastern Afghanistan March 6 to deter the insurgent activity of the Taliban.
The warning leaflet airdrop mission was in direct support of Operation Achilles launched March 6 by the International Security Assistance Force to create a secure environment that'll enable the Government of Afghanistan to help the country's people.
The warning leaflets were used in support of a ground task force to communicate with Taliban extremists, warning them not to interfere with Coalition activities.
"We're trying to gain the edge over the enemy," said Maj. Michael Lucas, chief of the Air Mobility Division's tactics section at the Combined Air Operations Center.
Airdropping leaflets "helps the cause without using firepower and can aid our Coalition partners in capturing enemy forces," Major Lucas said.
To deliver the leaflet's message to the enemy, an aircrew from the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing in the Persian Gulf region, took off in the early hours.
In the first leg of the mission, the 9-man aircrew picked up the warning leaflets from ISAF personnel at an air base in Afghanistan.
Armed with three boxes chock-full of warning leaflets, the loadmasters prepared themselves with harnesses and buddy checks.
Once over the target site, Tech. Sgt. Aaron Jennings tossed the first of two boxes out of the right-side parachute door of the C-130.
The warning leaflets were dropped out in small boxes tethered to the aircraft. After the boxes were released and the tether fully extended, the boxes popped open.
Then, Airman 1st Class Josh Huffman tossed 10,000 warning leaflets out over the second target site.
Like confetti, the warning leaflets scattered into the air, fulfilling the mission.
According to ISAF, air and ground operations, such as the leaflet drop, will focus on improving security in areas where Taliban extremists, narco-traffickers and other elements are trying to de-stabilize the Government of Afghanistan.
Operations are intended to empower village elders to take charge of their communities as they have been doing so in other parts of southern Afghanistan, without the influence of Taliban extremists.