Published: August 31, 2008 09:41 pm         

Dover crew flies first C-17 into Georgia

DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. — Seven airmen from Dover’s 3rd Airlift Squadron — including a native of west central Indiana — flew the first C-17 Globemaster III carrying humanitarian supplies into the Republic of Georgia earlier this month.

“We had stopped at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, after flying supplies into Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom,” said Capt. Cory Cook, 3rd Airlift Squadron pilot and San Jose, Calif., native. “Before we could head back to Dover, we were diverted to a new mission. We got our intel’ brief and were told we were flying into Tbilisi (Georgia’s capital city).”

The McGuire Air Force Base, N.J., C-17 delivered 16 pallets of life-support supplies and an Army Crisis Team to Georgia before flying 4.5 hours back to Germany to pick up another load.

“It was a great experience,” said Senior Airman Ryan Thompson, 3rd AS C-17 loadmaster and West Lebanon, Ind., native. “Helping out and seeing how happy everyone there was to receive the supplies was rewarding.”

“Getting to see who you are helping is amazing,” Cook said. “I have flown humanitarian aid missions before and this was the happiest I have ever seen people. They were coming up and hugging us. In 10 years of flying, I have never been received like this!”

The situation in the Republic of Georgia is dangerous and Cook said the crew took the appropriate measures to keep themselves and the aircraft safe.

“I never really felt threatened but we were definitely concerned,” he said. “They informed us of the significant threat during our intelligence brief prior to the mission.”

Mobility airmen delivered medical supplies in two C-17s, providing humanitarian assistance to Georgians in need. Mobility forces are postured for continued humanitarian efforts, AMC planners said.

“We have crews engaged to deliver supplies to those in need, and others on standby, ready to go at a moment’s notice if called upon to go in and provide relief,” said Gen. Arthur Lichte, Air Mobility Command commander.

“We’ve been called on to provide relief before; air mobility is a unique asset for our nation,” said Lichte, noting air mobility’s role in providing aid to the besieged population of Berlin during the Berlin Airlift. Mobility forces have engaged in multiple relief efforts in the 60 years since that historic operation.

Earlier this month, Air Force airlifters returned about 2,000 Georgian troops from their deployed location in Iraq. The U.S. previously committed to transportation of the troops when Georgia offered its participation in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

“Our airlift capability also allowed our nation to keep its promise to Georgia,” Lichte said. “When Georgia needed its troops at home, we were able to quickly provide the lift to get them there.”

AMC C-17s deployed with the 4th and the 14th Airlift Squadrons flew missions redeploying Georgian troops from Iraq to the Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi, after the Georgian government asked the U.S. for assistance. The redeployment operation spanned slightly more than 24 hours, he said.

Command and control and coordination of the airlift effort are provided by the 618th Tanker Airlift Control Center at Scott Air Force Base. The 618th TACC coordinates an average of 900 airlift and air refueling missions each day, and can seamlessly redirect aircraft to support requirements for contingency or humanitarian relief operations.

During Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the 618th TACC tasked nearly 900 sorties to support relief efforts, and mobility forces moved more than 14,600 passengers, nearly 3,000 patients, and hauled the equivalent of 686 semi-truckloads of supplies to and from the Gulf Coast region.

During Pakistan earthquake relief operations in 2005, the 621st Contingency Response Wing supported 273 U.S. missions, and provided 15,294,000 pounds of relief supplies, including more than 93,000 sleeping bags and 292,000 blankets. The wing also loaded 587 trucks and processed 4,481 pallets.