AMC aerial porter supports deployed air terminal ops

Published March 11, 2010
By Master Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol
380th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- One day he could be operating a 60,000-pound-capable aircraft cargo loader and the next be driving a bus full of passengers. Whatever he's called to do, Staff Sgt. Phillip Belnavis said it's the life of a deployed air transportation Airman.

Sergeant Belnavis is an air transportation craftsman with the 380th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron's Air Terminal Operations Center at a non-disclosed base in Southwest Asia. He is deployed from the 89th Aerial Port Squadron at Joint Base Andrews, Md.

"The Air Terminal Operations Center supports airlift missions transporting tons of sustainment cargo, as well as baggage and passengers," said Sergeant Belnavis, who was born in Kingston, Jamaica, and now calls Pembroke Pines, Fla., his hometown. "Our ATOC is currently manned with 12 aerial port specialists who work 12-hour shifts and our mission workload has remained consistent with past rotations - very busy."

Each air transportation Airman deployed to the ATOC, including Sergeant Belnavis, has to maintain a myriad of skills and job knowledge. According to the official Air Force job description for the air transportation career field, they must maintain mandatory job knowledge in passenger and cargo movement functions to include transport aircraft types, capabilities, and configuration. They must also know weight and balance factors, airlift transportation directives and documentation, cargo securing techniques, border clearance requirements, operation of materials handling and other types of loading equipment or devices, fleet service functions.

"Without our impact on the mission here, our downrange brothers and sisters in arms would suffer adversely," Sergeant Belnavis said. "Plus, a majority of the service members would not be able to get in and out of the deployed areas without us. Aerial porters keep the mission moving every day."

Sergeant Belnavis' deployed unit ensures the safe and efficient upload and download of cargo and personnel on all organic and contracted aircraft to the base. To do the heavy lifting, they use specific material handling equipment such as forklifts capable of lifting upwards of 10,000 pounds of cargo and aircraft cargo loaders which are capable of holding pallets and cargo weighing up to 25,000 and 60,000 pounds. The loaders, when filled with cargo, are driven out to the aircraft, the deck is raised hydraulically, and powered rollers on the loader push the cargo on board the plane.

From the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing's area of operations, air transportation Airmen load and move cargo on a host of mobility aircraft to include the C-17 Globemaster III, C-130 Hercules, KC-10 Extender and KC-135 Stratotanker.

Sergeant Belnavis said he's proud to be a part of the aerial port effort at his current deployed base or wherever he is called to do it around the world. He said he's also proud to be serving in the Air Force and the military.

"I think it's an honor to serve as an NCO with the world's greatest airpower and I enjoy it to the fullest," Sergeant Belnavis said. "There's quite possibly no better feeling than being down range and knowing with 100 percent honesty that your efforts at your current location are providing a huge impact on the day-to-day events of service members in more austere locations elsewhere."

The 380th ELRS is a sub-unit of the 380th AEW. The wing is home to the KC-10 Extender, E-3 Sentry, U-2 Dragon Lady and RQ-4 Global Hawk aircraft. The wing is comprised of four groups and 12 squadrons and the wing's deployed mission includes air refueling, surveillance, and reconnaissance in support of overseas contingency operations in Southwest Asia. The 380th AEW supports operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom and the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa.