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Charleston AFB establishes expeditionary squadrons

CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. (USTCNS) --- Charleston-based C-17s and aircrews have set up two expeditionary airlift squadrons at deployed locations in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

"The EAS concept is similar to what other career fields do for their AEF rotations," Col. Bob Allardice, 437th Operations Group commander, explained. "Members deployed to these squadrons will be out for approximately 45 days and then rotated back here for training and, if it's available, time off. These squadrons will allow AMC to be even more effective in supporting our nation."

The squadrons are commanded by Lt. Col. Jim Barr, 437th Operations Support Squadron director of operations, and Lt. Col. Pete Hirneise, 17th Airlift Squadron commander.

"Hopefully the squadron structure we have set up out there will allow us to keep it manned at a certain level and allow us to rotate people back," said Allardice. "While at the same time our expectation should be that our people will be very busy for a very long time."

Increasing the size of the deployed operations staff was necessary according to Hirneise.

"The current folks have done an amazing job with such a small staff," Hirneise said. "But this now enables us to take care of crews so they can operate downrange in a manner in which they deserve."

Another benefit to the EAS concept is the up-to-date information for aircrews.

"These squadrons are there to provide the planning, training and oversight that the squadron would normally perform back in the United States," said Allardice. "Now they can now perform at a forward located base so they can focus on the operation at hand and provide the most up-to-date tactics and intelligence to the crews before they fly."

The squadrons are working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, in a stage, taking cargo and personnel into Afghanistan after it has been brought to their location by C-5s and C-17s from the United States, said Barr.

He said he has 66 people from the 437th Logistics Group maintaining and launching aircraft around the clock, supplying the parts and providing aircrew transportation.

"Having the combined operations and logistics efforts under one squadron streamlines the efforts and better enables the squadron commander to take care of all deployed personnel," said Barr.

"Maj. Gen. (Roger) Brady (Air Mobility Command director of operations) just visited and looked at the job we are doing here," said Barr. "He was so impressed that he wants to institutionalize our process."

Allardice agrees that CAFB has been successful in all of their operations since the beginning of OEF.

"When general officers come watch us they often comment, 'Boy, you sure make this look easy.' And they do," said Allardice. "Our guys make it look easy, but it is not easy. It is incredibly difficult to do this right."

Many of the people, who were involved at the beginning, with the humanitarian airdrop and the night operations into Camp Rhino in Afghanistan are now deployed and planning the operations currently underway, said Allardice. He said there is incredible talent in the aircrews and it has been increasing in the months prior to this operation. That is just adding to the overall success.

"We are really maturing in the way that we employ the airplane," said Allardice. "It takes a lot of energy and a lot of effort to plan these sorties into Afghanistan. We don't have a cloaking device in the C-17. What we have are great crew members who spend a lot of time, working and training hard, making sure they avoid the threats."

There is a third EAS staffed by McChord AFB, Wash., personnel, said Allardice. Both McChord and Charleston are working their aircrew rotations, leave, and crew rest policies similarly.

(FROM AIR MOBILITY COMMAND PUBLIC AFFAIRS)

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