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14th Airlift Squadron deploys to Southwest Asia

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Alice Moore
  • 437 AW Public Affairs
CHARLESTON AFB, S.C. --  Approximately 140 Airmen from the 14th Airlift Squadron deployed to a base in Southwest Asia Sunday in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. 

The deployment marks the second time an entire Charleston C-17 squadron has deployed for an operation. Nearly the entire squadron deployed to a single base to manage and fly missions in and out of the area of responsibility. The squadron deployed to replace the 17th Airlift Squadron. 

"This deployment will break new ground for Charleston Air Force Base and marks a drastic change in the way Air Mobility Command employs the C-17," said Lt. Col. Ricky Rupp, 14 AS commander. "It's historic. The 14th Airlift Squadron Pelicans have a long and distinguished history dating back to the 1940s." 

The squadron's deployment marks the first time the base has deployed a C-17 squadron for 120 days to fly intra-theater missions in the Central Command's AOR, Colonel Rupp said. 

"The 14th will essentially be rewriting Air Mobility Command doctrine and we will reinforce the swing airlift capability of the C-17," Colonel Rupp said. "While other AMC crews will employ the aircraft in its traditional inter-theater, or strategic role, the 14th will seamlessly transition those mission into intra-theater, or tactical role missions from our forward operating location." 

Colonel Rupp also said that the squadron is deploying to fly every combat mission while previous squadrons deployed to staff the missions. 

Along with members of the active-duty unit, Reservists from the 315th Airlift Wing also deployed in support of this mission. 

"I'm here doing my part for the team," said Master Sgt. Bryan DuBois, 701st Airlift Squadron loadmaster. 

The unit will be flying missions in the AOR until January 2007 and Colonel Rupp said that his team is ready for the challenge. 

"I'm very proud of the men and women of the 14 AS. They are well trained and ready for the mission they are about to assume," Colonel Rupp said. "They will be asked to do a lot, and often times stretched to the limit, but I know they have what it takes to get the job done and help win the Global War on Terrorism."