An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Mobility Airman profile: Dyess captain, C-130 pilot, flies combat airlift, airdrop missions in Afghanistan

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol
  • Air Mobility Command Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  In 2010, mobility Airmen airdropped more than 60.4 million pounds of cargo in Afghanistan - a record and an unprecedented effort. Among those Airmen supporting this effort was Capt. Jeff Brown -- a C-130 Hercules pilot with the 772nd Expeditionary Airlift Squadron at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan.

But whether it's an airdrop, or a combat airlift mission bringing cargo and people to a forward operating base in Afghanistan, Captain Brown is fulfilling the job he's been trained to complete. According to his official Air Force job description for an airlift pilot, he is required to "pilot airlift aircraft and command crews to accomplish airlift, training and other missions."

To fulfill his work as an airlift pilot, Captain Brown reviews mission tasking, intelligence and weather information, the job description states. He supervises mission planning, preparation, filing a flight plan and crew briefings and he ensures the aircraft is pre-flighted, inspected, loaded, equipped and manned for each mission.

Airmen like Captain Brown also pilot aircraft and command crews. They are trained to operate aircraft controls and equipment and perform, supervise, or direct navigation, in-flight refueling, and cargo and passenger delivery. They also ensure the operational readiness of the crew by conducting or supervising mission specific training and they develop plans and policies, monitor operations and assist commanders with functions related to airlift operations, the job descript shows.

Airmen like Captain Brown also have to maintain mandatory job knowledge in the theory of flight, air navigation, meteorology, flying directives, aircraft operating procedures and mission tactics.

With the 772nd EAS, which is part of the 451st Air Expeditionary Wing, Captain Brown supports a mission to provide a "persistent and powerful airpower presence" in the Afghanistan area of operations, according to the 451st AEW Web site. 451st AEW Airmen provide "world-class tactical airlift, close air support, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, command and control, airborne datalink, combat search and rescue, casualty evacuation and aeromedical evacuation capabilities whenever and wherever needed."

Captain Brown is deployed from the 40th Airlift Squadron, 317th Airlift Group, at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas. The 317th Airlift Group is comprised of the 39th and 40th Airlift Squadrons, 317th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 317th Maintenance Squadron, 317th OSS and the 317th Maintenance Operations Squadron. The group comes under the operational control of 18th Air Force and Air Mobility Command at Scott AFB.