15th AMOS provides typhoon relief

Published Dec. 6, 2013
By Capt. Jon Billman
15th Air Mobility Operations Squadron

TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- On Nov. 8, Typhoon Haiyan made land fall in the Tacloban region of the Philippines, bringing with it winds more than 200 mph and tsunami level waves. Eyewitnesses reported the devastation looked as if a F5 tornado tore a path 60 miles wide and left nothing standing. Almost instantaneously U.S. relief efforts were set into motion.

The U.S. Agency for International Development prepared teams to assess the situation and Marines from the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force, in Okinawa, Japan, prepared troops and supplies to react. They were quickly airlifted to the Philippine islands and began the process of administering critical-aid and providing essential relief efforts to approximately 4 million displaced people.

Along with this quick reaction force, Travis Contingency Response Airmen from the 15th Air Mobility Operations Squadron were immediately alerted to deploy in support of the humanitarian aid and disaster relief efforts.

Two weeks later, the international cooperation effort was codified under Operation Damayan, which in the local Tagalog language means, helping each other. With the Filipino lead, the U.S. worked with 16 countries, providing more than 61 various airlift assets and 14 naval vessels to provide crucial relief to the people of the Philippines.

Coincidently, Nov. 18, the 15th AMOS was attending a USAID taught Joint Humanitarian Operations Course, covering topics such as HA/DR when they were pulled from class to pack their bags. Four members of the 15th AMOS were called up to support the 613th Air Mobility Division in the Air Operations Center at Pacific Air Forces Command Headquarters located at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, in order to augment operations in support Operation Dayman.

By noon Nov. 19, the team was in place and engaged in operational planning efforts.

"Monday I was sitting in a classroom, learning about humanitarian aid operations in Iran and Indonesia, and 20 hours later, I'm 3000 miles away, controlling airlift and planning missions in support of an actual HA/DR mission," said Capt. Scott Taylor, 15th AMOS member. "That's just what we do."

The 15th AMOS is Air Mobility Command's contingency response squadron which provides specific theater focused command and control experts to combatant commanders. The AMD, located at PACAF Headquarters, is responsible for planning, coordinating, scheduling and command and control of U.S. Air Force airlift assets in response to the devastation caused by Typhoon Haiyan.

As AMC's theater mobility experts, the 15th AMOS worked in the AMD as a critical node in controlling airlift operations throughout the region in conjunction with USAID, the Joint Task Force, multiple civilian organizations, foreign governments, Guard and Reserve members. They provided 24/7 operations in support of the massive international relief effort.

"This was a true whole of government response and the Masterminds were right at the heart of the operation," said Lt. Co.l Brian McCullough, 15th AMOS commander. "Our knowledge of the PACOM theater's logistic process, personal connections with civilian and military leadership here in PACOM, our ability to quickly adapt to very fluid and diverse environments, and our skills in the planning and execution of airlift operations under almost any condition is why we are in high demand. We are AMC's tool to conduct and support command and control during contingency mobility operations for a geographic combatant commander"

The AMD's first step in establishing this relief operation was to ensure the 36th Contingency Response Group could get to the Philippines hardest hit areas to complete an assessment of the airfields and open them for follow-on operations.

On Nov. 14, the first C-130 Hercules mission with CRG personnel arrived at Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport in Tacloban, Philippines, and began relief operations. Within 24 hours, the CRG expanded air mobility capabilities by preparing and opening the airfield for both day and night C-17 Globemaster III aircraft operations. The complete package of contingency response expertise from the AMOS command and control of airlift assets to CRG expanding airlift operations was vital in minimizing disaster victims' suffering by allowing USAID supplies to flow into the effected regions.

To date, the 15th AMOS and the AMD have planned and executed more than 350 Air Force flight hours on more than 195 sorties, delivering 2.4 million pounds of relief supplies and equipment, injecting 13,000 soldiers, and 1,200 relief workers restoring a small sense of normalcy to the devastated region.

"The 15 AMOS is critical to any large scale mobility operation in this theater and is responsible for the heavy lifting to posture the Joint Task Force for success," said Col. Kevin Oliver, Air Mobility division chief.

Along with delivering supplies, the AMD and the 15th AMOS planned and managed refugee flights from the city of Tacloban to Manila, the Philippine capital.

This was not a normal C-17 or C-130 flight. The C-17's were authorized to carry up to 662 displaced Filipinos and the C-130's were authorized to carry 150 people. This resulted in the evacuation of more than 8,000 displaced Philippine residents to safety.