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Travis AFB prepares to accept C-17 mission

  • Published
  • By Capt. Lindsay Logsdon
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AMCNS) --  The third and final headquarters-directed Site Activation Task Force visit for the July 2006 delivery of the C-17 Globemaster III to Travis was held here Nov. 1-4.

The task force from Hq. Air Mobility Command identified remaining items that need to be addressed for the successful arrival and employment of 13 C-17s for both active duty and Reserve squadrons, which will be collocated here.

During the SATAF 'outbrief' to members of the 60th Air Mobility Wing and the Reserve's 349th AMW, Maj. Keith Thibodeaux of Hq. AMC said, “We assessed the progress of the program and we did not find any show stoppers that will prevent or delay the delivery of C-17s to Travis.”

When a new aircraft is scheduled to arrive at an installation, a Site Activation Task Force is established at the major command level. Criteria for the beddown of the new aircraft is generated by the major command and forwarded to the gaining installation. During the recent visit here, a team of functional experts joined with Air Force Reserve Command and C-17 Systems Group counterparts to assess Travis’ ability to meet key beddown requirements.

“Criteria were established by AMC for the basic requirements of people, parts, equipment and associate facilities to successfully beddown the C-17s here at Travis,” said Maj. Tim Brett, 60th AMW C-17 Program Office. “The purpose of this SATAF was to address remaining open action items from the second SATAF and identify any new actions required to ensure a successful, on-time beddown [of the C-17].”

The task force consisted of eight functional teams, including operations, maintenance, support equipment, military construction, wing plans, finance, communications and Reserve members. “[The SAFAF visit] pulled together all the major organizations so all subjects could be addressed by the functional areas,” said Major Brett. “We all know the status of our preparation and each team can go back and work the remaining details in their area.”

Travis AFB officials said much of the work that remains to be done for the successful beddown of the C-17 here is the construction of some facilities, which will be completed over the next few years. While these requirements need to be met, the active duty and Reserve C-17 Program Offices have planned accordingly so these items will not prevent the arrival and successful operation of the C-17s.

“We’ve got to work these items out together,” said Col. Michael Cassidy, 60th Operations Group commander. “There is still a lot of messy staff work to do, but let’s get it done.”

While there are no "show stoppers" that will prevent or delay the delivery of the 13 C-17s to Travis, the team here is working to be fully operational on all levels the day the first aircraft arrives.

“That jet is coming and when it gets here, the nation is going to want us to put it in the fight the next day and we need to be ready,” said Col. Keith Frede, 60th Maintenance Group commander.

With the July delivery date around the corner, assigned active-duty aircrews and maintainers will begin arriving here in January. The 349th AMW already has aircrews and maintainers preparing for the aircraft arrival. Construction of several key buildings; the flight simulator facility, aircraft parts store and the squadron operations and aircraft maintenance unit buildings will also be completed by January.