Air Force Reserve aerial porters are life blood of mission success.

Published Sept. 5, 2011
By Staff Sgt. Andrew Caya
914th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

NIAGARA FALLS AIR RESERVE STATION, N.Y. -- "Too often, we get caught up in our work and don't realize the importance of our job. Bottom-line, our guys saved lives yesterday," said 914th Airlift Wing Reservist Senior Master Sgt. Kenneth Scholz, special handling superintendent at the 455th Expeditionary Aerial Port Squadron, Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan.

Often heard is the phrase that 'aerial porters move beans, band-aids, butts and bullets in a warzone.' Another "b-word" may soon be added to the list due to fast acting U.S. Air Force Reservists.

On August 28, a C-130 in Afghanistan was tasked with a mission of delivering life saving blood to Kandahar Airfield despite flying into a storm.

American Soldiers were in critical condition at the airfield and they were in desperate need of blood. The next available flight was scheduled for 15 hours later.

Staff Sgt. Charles Cate, a load planner, called the Blood Detachment and requested that the blood be readied for flight. While this was happening, Cate did all the paperwork to get it manifested on the aircraft. Meanwhile, Special Handling received the blood, built-up the pallet, weighed it, processed it, and Ramp personnel loaded it in less than an hour. Niagara aerial porters involved in this critical mission included Special Handlers Tech. Sgt. Jason Miller, Master. Sgt. Paul Curcione, and Ramp Specialist Staff Sgt. Kevin Menendez.

"Unfortunately casualties and injuries have not slowed down recently," said Niagara Reservist Tech. Sgt. Jason Miller. "We have always treated blood as a huge priority and always did what we could to make a difference with it. It just validated the importance to us."

Back at Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, N.Y., the leadership of the deployed Airmen expressed pride in the aerial porters' abilities here at their home station, or deployed in a warzone.

"I am excited, but not surprised," said 30th Aerial Port Squadron Air Transportation Manager Chief Master Sgt. Thomas Buschang. "This is just one of many accomplishments that our folks do frequently, not only on every deployment, but here in the states. 30 APS has deployed numerous times and our on-time delivery of passengers as well as cargo has always been 99 percent or higher. Our past and present proves we are mission ready and able."

Without aerial port and Airmen in the career field known as "Port Dawgs" there would be complete stoppage and mission failure on the battlefield as well as at home station.

"We are mission critical; contingencies couldn't and wouldn't happen without us. Like the operational readiness exercises and operational readiness inspections, aerial ports are the 'first in' to unload the planes and the 'last out' - we pack it and load it. Without us, nobody moves," said Buschang.

These Port Dawgs have processed and ensured cargo gets to where it needs to be, regardless of what it is.

"We process all types of cargo, from simple bolts to an Abrams tank." said Buschang. "If it needs to fly on military airlift, an aerial porter needs to pack it or receive the cargo, certify that the cargo can fly, and manage that cargo until load time. Aerial porters also load plan all cargo and passengers onto aircraft, to utilize any and all available space which insures 100 percent aircraft utilization- which saves lives, as well as tax payer money."

On that particular day the Port Dawgs' efforts resulted in live-saving material getting to where it needed to be when it was needed most.

"It's such a great feeling to know we are making a difference," said Miller. "That is why we deployed. Someone else could have taken our spot in the deployment, but we came here to make a difference. Giving everything we have to transport blood expeditiously and urgently is a great satisfaction to all of us. And to know it is saving lives of those who are in a worse situation then we are, sacrificing more than we are, it makes us proud of what we do, and helps us find glory in our career field."

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