Reservists deploy to Southwest Asia
McGUIRE AIR FORCE BASE, N.J. (USTCNS) --- More than 240 troops from the 514th Air Mobility Wing began deploying Feb. 11 to Southwest Asia in support of Aerospace Expeditionary Force-1 and -2.
The mission, locally dubbed "Arabian Knights," includes aircrews from the 76th and 78th Air Refueling Squadrons, along with maintenance, aerial port and support personnel.
The deployment covers the last six weeks of a 120-day rotation - relieving 305th AMW personnel and aircrews from the 2nd and 32nd ARS who've been deployed since Dec. 1.
This is the fourth consecutive year the 514th AMW has been tasked to be a part of Air Mobility Command's tanker task force.
The 514th brings with them an experienced crew, as nearly 75 percent of their personnel are veterans of Operation Southern Watch. While deployed, their mission will be to refuel coalition fighter and bomber aircraft monitoring compliance with United Nations Security Council resolutions to enforce the no-fly zone over Iraq. The coalition includes forces from the United States, France, Great Britain and Saudi Arabia.
Lt. Col. Stephen Goeman, 78th Air Refueling Squadron aircraft operations officer and primary organizer for this rotation, said getting prepared for a real-world deployment is a very time consuming and labor intensive task. The 514th received word of the deployment in September, Goeman said.
Since then, wing officials have been coordinating with AMC, Air Force Reserve Command, Central Command, 305th AMW and various directorates of the 514th AMW, trying to get pre-departure requirements complete for more than 240 personnel.
"As always, the wing's support for every AEF rotation we're involved in is great," said Master Sgt. Mary Alden, deployment first sergeant. "We've done this rotation to the desert so many times that we've become the best at what we do."
Although the workload will be high, the time overseas will pass quickly, Goeman said. The highlight of the trip will be the opportunity to work with fellow reservists in a deployed location. "It's always a pleasure to work along side our own professionals in the 514th," Goeman said.
During a deployment briefing this week, Brig. Gen. Scott Nichols, 514th AMW commander, thanked his troops for their service to the country and wished them well.
"This isn't training - this is the real thing," said Nichols. "I really appreciate the sacrifices you've made, and we're grateful to you, your families and your employers."
As with any deployment, folks face a number of challenges, said Brig. Gen. Richard Mentemeyer, 305th AMW commander.
The general said with the reserves, some of those challenges go a little deeper as they rely wholeheartedly on the support of their civilian employers to hold their jobs when called upon to fulfill their military duties.
"It's great to see the employers working with our reserve counterparts in the 514th AMW," Mentemeyer said. "The communities continuous support of our active duty and reservists is a true testament to the success of the wing and goes back to McGuire's 'One Team-One Theme' motto." (FROM AIR MOBILITY COMMAND PUBLIC AFFAIRS).
The mission, locally dubbed "Arabian Knights," includes aircrews from the 76th and 78th Air Refueling Squadrons, along with maintenance, aerial port and support personnel.
The deployment covers the last six weeks of a 120-day rotation - relieving 305th AMW personnel and aircrews from the 2nd and 32nd ARS who've been deployed since Dec. 1.
This is the fourth consecutive year the 514th AMW has been tasked to be a part of Air Mobility Command's tanker task force.
The 514th brings with them an experienced crew, as nearly 75 percent of their personnel are veterans of Operation Southern Watch. While deployed, their mission will be to refuel coalition fighter and bomber aircraft monitoring compliance with United Nations Security Council resolutions to enforce the no-fly zone over Iraq. The coalition includes forces from the United States, France, Great Britain and Saudi Arabia.
Lt. Col. Stephen Goeman, 78th Air Refueling Squadron aircraft operations officer and primary organizer for this rotation, said getting prepared for a real-world deployment is a very time consuming and labor intensive task. The 514th received word of the deployment in September, Goeman said.
Since then, wing officials have been coordinating with AMC, Air Force Reserve Command, Central Command, 305th AMW and various directorates of the 514th AMW, trying to get pre-departure requirements complete for more than 240 personnel.
"As always, the wing's support for every AEF rotation we're involved in is great," said Master Sgt. Mary Alden, deployment first sergeant. "We've done this rotation to the desert so many times that we've become the best at what we do."
Although the workload will be high, the time overseas will pass quickly, Goeman said. The highlight of the trip will be the opportunity to work with fellow reservists in a deployed location. "It's always a pleasure to work along side our own professionals in the 514th," Goeman said.
During a deployment briefing this week, Brig. Gen. Scott Nichols, 514th AMW commander, thanked his troops for their service to the country and wished them well.
"This isn't training - this is the real thing," said Nichols. "I really appreciate the sacrifices you've made, and we're grateful to you, your families and your employers."
As with any deployment, folks face a number of challenges, said Brig. Gen. Richard Mentemeyer, 305th AMW commander.
The general said with the reserves, some of those challenges go a little deeper as they rely wholeheartedly on the support of their civilian employers to hold their jobs when called upon to fulfill their military duties.
"It's great to see the employers working with our reserve counterparts in the 514th AMW," Mentemeyer said. "The communities continuous support of our active duty and reservists is a true testament to the success of the wing and goes back to McGuire's 'One Team-One Theme' motto." (FROM AIR MOBILITY COMMAND PUBLIC AFFAIRS).
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