Travis aerial porters keep cargo moving in Afghanistan

Published April 12, 2011
By Staff Sgt. Patrick Harrower
60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- At the biggest aerial port in all the Department of Defense, supplying Afghanistan isn't a problem at all. In fact, they do it with half as many people as any other port squadron in Air Mobility Command.

"I like the responsibility," said Staff Sgt. Chris Droegemueller, 60th Aerial Port Squadron. "It feels good to be working where I am giving something back to the warfighter."

Sergeant Droegemueller works as the lone ammunition porter at Bagram, and has to work strenuous and erratic hours to accomplish the mission, he said.

"This port squadron definitely moves a lot more cargo than I am used to at Travis," said Sergeant Droegemueller.

In only three months, Sergeant Droegemueller was responsible for moving 2.2 million pounds of ammunition through the port.

"This ammunition supply point is the biggest one in the entire AOR and acts as the hub to all the forward operating bases," said Sergeant Droegemueller. "We receive all the ammo and distribute it to every [FOB] in the theater."

As Sergeant Droegemueller receives, inspects, and distributes ammunition to the area of responsibility, there is another Travis Airman working alongside him.

"I handle all the cargo that requires special handling," said Staff Sgt. Jacob Proctor, 60th Aerial Port Squadron.

Special cargo that travels through Bagram can be anything from hazardous materials and classified shipments to weapons and even human blood.

In March 2011, Sergeant Proctor and his team of aerial porters helped move more than 470 tons of hazardous cargo through Bagram, he said.

Sometimes Sergeant Proctor is responsible for moving special cargo that is called signature service.

Signature service cargo requires a receipt to track the chain of custody as it changes hands, and is very carefully tracked, he said.

When any branch of the military needs ammunition, hazardous materials, weapons or anything else to support them while in theater, they can count on deployed Travis Airmen.

The sergeants work and average of 14 hours a day and rarely take any time off, to make sure that all the critical cargo gets to the service members who need it the most, said Sergeant Droegemueller.

"I like how busy Bagram keeps me," said Sergeant Proctor. "Our leadership here is really good, so that makes it all that much easier."