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Gen. Mike Minihan, Commander of Air Mobility Command, visits the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station June 8, 2024.

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30th APS deploys

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Andrew Caya
  • 914th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
NIAGARA FALLS AIR RESERVE STATION, N.Y. --  More than 30 Niagara Falls Airmen have deployed to southwest Asia last week in support of the ongoing contingency efforts overseas.

Airman from the 30th Aerial Port Squadron are slated to perform their squadron duties over in the warzones such as aircraft passenger processing, loading and unloading both military and civilian aircraft, load planning and building air drop platforms for airdropping food, water, ammunition and medical supplies which is of vital resource to Servicemembers fighting in remote areas of the area of operation.

Deployment is nothing new to the squadron. According to Chief Master Sgt. Thomas Buschang, 30 APS has Air Transportation Manager and Senior Air Reserve Technician His squadron has been deployed 4 times since 2003.

"The first deployment was for two years for some to our members. We deployed to Kuwait in 2007 and again in 2009 through 2010," said Chief Buschang. "Since 2001, we have had members volunteer out of the rotation, supporting the war on terror, on a continuous basis. Some members, including myself, have deployed every year for the past five or more years."

According to their leadership, the squadron has the training and potential to do great things over in the warzone.

"It's a proud moment because I know these people are ready to go," said 914th Mission Support Group Commander Col. Timothy McCoy. "They are very well trained, because on the last ORI they received an "outstanding" and I think they are going to take all those skills with them overseas and do a great job for their deployed commander."

"To see them board the plane is also a relief, [to know that] the countless hours of planning to insure that each and every member is not only "militarily" prepared such as ensuring they have the proper equipment, uniforms, chem. warfare training and weapons qualification but psychologically and physically prepared for perform his or her duties."

Chief Buschang believes this deployment and working with other Airmen over there will make his high-speed squadron even better.

"Many thanks to the folks here at Niagara Falls of the 914 Air Wing in helping me and my ART staff get these folks out the door and on their way," said Chief Buschang. "We here at Niagara are truly a family and we came together to make this happen, again.