AMC response groups establish airfield operations for hurricane relief

Published Sept. 2, 2005
By Tech. Sgt. Mark Diamond

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- In anticipation of massive relief operations to help victims of Hurricane Katrina, several elements of Air Mobility Command Contingency Response Group personnel deployed to Louisiana and Mississippi Aug. 30-31 to establish air mobility operations in those areas.

On Aug. 30, a four-person assessment team from the 615th Contingency Response Wing at Travis Air Force Base, Calif., deployed to Lafayette, Miss. A day later, two Contingency Response Group elements were deployed to the area; the 621st CRW at McGuire AFB, N.J., deployed a 29-person team to New Orleans International Airport, and the 615th deployed a 42-person CRG element to Gulfport, Miss. Both Travis CRG elements later forward-deployed to Keesler AFB, Miss., to support airlift operations there.

According to Lt. Col. Patrick S. Tibbetts, 819th Global Support Squadron commander, the 621st CRW also has a 50-person CRG element on standby, ready to deploy to the area if called.

The CRG elements are being used to establish airfield operations in support of the hurricane relief effort.

Colonel Tibbetts said the CRG personnel are doing what they're trained to do: "... establish, expand, sustain and coordinate air mobility operations at any given location in a variety of environments, whether it's humanitarian relief operations or war-time operations."

According to the commander, the CRG element was deployed with the necessary command and control, aerial port, aircraft maintenance and communications packages that allow the unit to perform its mission there.

For Hurricane Katrina relief operations, the colonel said CRG elements will be providing maintenance and fuel support and aerial port functions, including loading and offloading aircraft.

"We'll have a lot of cargo coming in and a lot of people going out," said the colonel.

From initial reports, he said the CRG personnel at New Orleans International Airport are doing well.

"[621st CRW personnel] had communications set up within hour of arriving [at New Orleans International Airport], and they're already coordinating with other government agencies to assist in any way possible," said Colonel Tibbetts.

The colonel said he wasn't surprised to hear CRG personnel had established operations so quickly.

"That's what we're all about," he said. "We lean forward and can be ready to go at a moments notice. Our folks are very quick to assemble; quick to deploy; light, agile teams of highly-trained and highly cross-utilized personnel. We maintain a small footprint, but we can generate the same effects of a much larger unit."

Personnel assigned to the Travis CRG element at Keesler AFB also realize the importance of their mission there.

Tech. Sgt. Ernest Howell, an aerial port supervisor with the 615th CRW, said his unit's main focus is downloading critical humanitarian supplies off the aircraft and getting it to the distribution centers.

“We are the main focal point for getting supplies into the area and out to those who need it,” he said. “We need to bring in this humanitarian relief and disburse it as fast as possible."

The Travis team, which deployed in support of Operation Unified Assistance in January, knows the challenges they may face. Operation Unified Assistance was the humanitarian effort to help those affected by the December 2004 tsunami that devastated portions of South and Southeast Asia.

“Flexibility is key,” said Senior Airman Eric Mungia, an air transportation journeyman with the Travis CRG element. “You never know what may happen; we just have to do what we have to, [to] get things done."

Colonel Tibbetts said although the CRG personnel are trained for both humanitarian and contingency operations, humanitarian operations are the most fulfilling.

"The folks we deployed and anticipate deploying are doing a tremendous service," he said. "This wing pulled together tremendously well to get the teams ready and out the door as quickly as possible. It's a real testimony to their professionalism and desire to serve their country." (60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs contributed to this story)