Command Corner: March 14

  • Published
  • By Col. Steven Harrison
  • 436th Airlift Wing commander
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  "Team Dover" is synonymous with world class airlift! So the highlight of my last week was watching our Airmen first-hand as they do what they do best ... fight through any obstacle to provide the best possible support to the warfighter. 

Thursday, I joined an all-star crew from the 9th Airlift Squadron on an Operation Iraqi Freedom mission. Our day started with an aircrew briefing in which Capt. Ken Dixon detailed the mission, assessed the readiness of the crew, and took charge of its 14-person contingent. 

While this was occurring, our command post was already well into orchestrating a precise choreography of maintenance, aerial port operations, life support, fueling, fleet service, transportation, base operations and higher headquarters command and control in order to ensure this, like every mission, was prepared to launch on time. 

Transportation had the aircrew bus standing by to whisk us to the flightline, where jet-side service was already in-place to issue flight publications, essential flight gear and, with the help of the armory, weapons. While base operations, tactics, intel and combat crew communication prepared a portion of the crew for the flight, the remainder of the crew worked the aircraft preflight. The "Port Dawgs" had already started the on-load of nearly 90,000 pounds of cargo, and our maintainers were finishing up last-minute pre-launch activities. 

Everything was happening exactly as expected ... including the inevitable "fog and friction." A damaged rail on the aircraft ramp caused a halt in loading, and another team of experts sprung into action. While maintenance diagnosed the problem and began removing the rail, our crack supply team was finding the parts to repair and replace it. Everyone adjusted beautifully; the flight engineers and loadmasters continued their pre-flight actions, and cargo and refueling operations continued ... everyone working as a team to move America's mission. 

A few hours later, we were piercing the sky with more than 700,000 pounds of C-5 steel. The rest of the mission was executed with peerless precision as the 9th AS Pelicans demonstrated our Nation's unique strategic lift capability. After off-loading in Iraq, we rendezvoused with a KC-135 over the Black Sea for 60,000 pounds of fuel, enough to return to western Europe. After nearly completing the on-load of fuel, more difficulties arose. I watched with pride as the aircrew quickly resolved a complex in-flight emergency, shut-down an engine, and formulated a recovery plan to Ankara, Turkey ... an unfamiliar field in a foreign country ... all with safe, professional precision. Very impressive. 

The C-5 is a magnificent airlifter, but a somewhat temperamental performer. I saw both sides of its personality, and absolutely marveled at the expertise displayed by our entire mobility team in overcoming all obstacles to move the mission. From Master Sgt. Randy Handwerk, who was flying his final mission after 26 years of dedicated service, to Airman Calvin Glenn, who was flying the first mission of his young career, every one of our Team Dover members make miracles happen in service to their country. Even after 20 years in mobility operations, I walked away with a tremendous appreciation of what Team Dover's full-spectrum warriors are accomplishing 24/7 and 365 days a year ... at home and around the world. 

Another person who gained a greater appreciation of Dover's contributions to the fight this week was Brig. Gen. Kenneth Merchant, Air Mobility Command's director of Installations and Logistics, who visited our base and Airmen in order to determine how AMC could best utilize and support the Dover mission. I'd like to thank Capt. Paul Smith for organizing the effort as we succinctly demonstrated that no wing has more impact on the war effort than Team Dover. 

Speaking of making and impact, this week we are also pleased to congratulate Dover's newest senior master sergeants! I am grateful they are part of our team, and look forward to watching each of them continue to help shape and mentor the future leaders of our Air Force. Congratulations, Seniors ... you've earned it! 

This weekend, while some of us will be celebrating new stripes or St. Patrick's Day, more than 120 of Team Dover's finest will be participating in a readiness battle-lab at the Contingency Readiness Training Center in Alpena, Mich. While there, our team will complete a site-survey, participate in readiness training, and run through a series of exercises that will sharpen their warfighting skills in preparation for the upcoming operational readiness inspection. When they return, I urge everyone to take their lessons to heart ... they will make the 805th Air Expeditionary Wing (Team Dover Deployed) even better! 

Finally, while we anxiously await the final results of the Air Force Commander-In-Chief's Installation Excellence Award, I want to share with each of you our spending plan for the $600,000 to $1.1 million in quality-of-life funds that you've earned. I have asked for a list of recommendations from Airmen of all ranks, and have received over 30 suggestions.
In the coming weeks, I will provide a response to each request in this column. Likewise, I'll provide the rationale behind each project we chose to tackle with these proceeds. Please keep in mind that our focus will be to pay for quality-of-life projects that benefit the largest portion of Dover Air Force Base's population. So stay tuned! 

World class mission execution, while preparing to be even better tomorrow ... two more reasons Team Dover is "America's Preeminent Expeditionary Airlift Team!"