Expeditionary Center leadership team visits 43rd AMOG

Published Nov. 28, 2018
By Tech. Sgt. Jamie Powell
U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- Maj. Gen. John R. Gordy II, U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center commander, and Command Chief Master Sgt. Kristopher Berg, USAF EC command chief, visited with Airmen assigned to the 43rd Air Mobility Operations Group at Pope Army Airfield, North Carolina, Nov. 21-22.

During the visit, the Expeditionary Center leaders were able to see firsthand how the 43rd AMOG Airmen support rapid deployment of forces assigned to the U.S. Army’s XVIII Airborne Corps and 82nd Airborne Division, and the Fort Bragg special operations community.

“The Airmen here are extremely talented and motivated,” Gordy said. “They’re willing, able and ready to answer the nation’s call to project air power anytime and anywhere.”

The 43rd AMOG provides combatant commanders with Airborne Joint Forcible Entry, combat airlift, aeromedical evacuation, aerial port, command and control, and other enabling capabilities. Along with the 521st AMOW headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany and the 515th AMOW headquartered at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, they provide the Expeditionary Center’s global Enroute system which is the foundation for the rapid, global movement of aircraft, cargo and personnel.

“As the sole CONUS ‘Enroute’ within the Expeditionary Center Enroute structure, the roles and responsibilities of Pope (AAF) Airmen are vital in support of combatant commanders,” said Col. Timothy Danielson, 43rd AMOG commander. “That is, the vast majority of workload for Pope AAF Airmen is tied to either cargo outload or joint airlift and air transportability training. “Specifically, what makes Pope AAF so unique is the habitual training relationship with the XVIII Airborne Corps and 82d Airborne Division,” he said. “This relationship is vital to ensuring rapid outload in response to a wide array of contingencies anywhere on the globe.”

During his commander’s calls with the 43rd AMOG Airmen, Gordy talked about the importance of their mission at Pope AAF, supporting two of Air Mobility Command’s “no fail” missions.

“If the nation’s ‘911 call’ goes out and we have to launch the Global Response Force out of Ft. Bragg, the Green Ramp is where they’re going to load and depart from,” Gordy said. “All of that is done in as little as 18 hours for a battalion and a matter of days for a brigade. Similarly, with the special operations mission – if the special operators need our help, then we’ll be ready to support that mission as well.”

Comprised of over 900 Airmen and civilians, the 43rd AMOG includes six squadrons and supports more than 2,600 Airmen assigned to Pope AAF.

“We have a very unique mission here,” said Tech. Sgt. Adam Walenski, a load master and joint airdrop inspector with the 43rd Operations Support Squadron. We get the entire scope of training with the Army units we support. At the other bases that don’t have joint components, you see the same training bundles that come through every time, but when units come through here … it’s real-world training that can be taken anywhere.”

With readiness being at the forefront of Air Force leaderships’ priorities, the 43rd AMOG is focused on evolving the group to meet the growing demands of air mobility in the future.

“The 43rd AMOG has been working diligently towards realigning the structure to best support the mission as well as ensuring the proper match between manpower and workload,” Danielson said. “We continue to invest in our Airmen and infrastructure to include expanding the breadth of training and modernizing the airfield.”

Before departing, Gordy made sure to tell the 43rd AMOG Airmen that he trusts in their capability to perform their mission.

“Stay focused on the mission,” Gordy said. “I hope we never get the call to execute that mission from the Green Ramp, but if that call comes, I know you’ll be ready.”