Deployed AMOG Airmen keep airlift mission moving in Iraq

Published April 22, 2011
By Senior Airman Tong Duong
332nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq -- Capable of airlifting everything from troops, sustainment supplies, vehicles and even helicopters for the Army, the "heavy aircraft" C-5 Galaxy and C-17 Globemaster III, play an important role.

To ensure these heavy aircraft reach their destination, maintainers of the 521st Air Mobility Operations Group Detachment 5 "Jackals," are always ready.

"Our mission is to expedite maximum war-fighting and humanitarian effects for America through rapid and precise global air mobility in Europe, the Middle East and Africa," said Maj. Karen Knoerdel, 521st AMOG Detachment 5 commander, who is deployed from the 171st Air Refueling Wing, Pittsburgh International Airport, Pa.

Maintainers are poised to respond at a moment's notice to any maintenance issues experienced by Air Mobility Command's airlift assets transitioning through Iraq, Major Knoerdel, a Tarentum, Pa., native said.

"Simply put, we keep the C-5s and C-17s flying," she said.

According to Master Sgt. Paul Walter Jr., 521st AMOG superintendent, who is deployed from Joint Base Charleston, S.C., there are a total of 17 members assigned to Detachment 5, to include C-17 maintainers at JBB and C-5 maintainers at Al Asad Air Base, Iraq.

Both bases have at least one specialist in aerospace maintenance, electrical and environmental, propulsion, hydraulic, instrument and flight control, communication and navigation, a production superintendent, as well as a supply troop assigned to the detachment, Sergeant Walter Jr., a Butler, Pa., native said.

Labeled by AMC as a maintenance mitigation team, the detachment is considered a lean quick response force that minimizes aircraft downtime. During the past four months Detachment 5 has maintained more than 310 C-17s and 194 C-5s.

Due to hostile attacks and the amount of air flow in Iraq, the JBB team is vital to transient C-5 and C-17 aircraft.

"My job plays a major part of the functions here at JBB," said Tech. Sgt. Willie Dawson Jr., 521st AMOG communication navigation and mission systems craftsman, who is deployed from Joint Base Charleston, S.C. "For that matter, all missions throughout the Central Command's area of responsibility are affected if we do not bring our 'A' game."

Sergeant Dawson said the detachment is merely a handful of individuals who come together "to make miraculous things happen." Whether to secure communications, command and control add-ons or air-drop systems, he has to be ready to tackle any discrepancy that arises.

"Weather is a factor here at JBB and keeping the radar systems functional is crucial to the crew's safety," Sergeant Dawson, a Dalzell, S.C. native, said. "Sandstorms can render a crew blind, so the radios and navigation systems have to be reliable."

For the sergeant the best part of his job is marshalling out aircraft.

"If we didn't keep these aircraft mission capable, then they're not going anywhere," he said. "So when the job is done and I see their smiles on the way out, I'm fulfilled."

While the 521st AMOG makes up a small group, they have a mighty task to fill. Troops headed home and medical patients in need of care all depend on the Jackals to keep the jets flying.

"My guys are awesome," Major Knoerdel said. "When it's time to work on a jet, they do it without hesitation and every time the jet is able to successfully complete its mission."