Air Force Print News ,
Southwest Asia: In a break from the past, C-17 Globemaster IIIs and Airmen supporting the aircraft are deploying to the theaters and operating from one location for an entire air and space expeditionary force rotation.
Previously a squadron traveled to an area, flew 14-15 days, then returned home. About one-third of its deployment was traveling to and from the operating location.
Prior to June, C-17 deployments varied according to combat demand, subjecting crews to an unrelenting operations tempo. In an effort to slow that tempo, ongoing since 9/11, and increase aircrew efficiency and aircraft utilization rates, Air Mobility Command leaders implemented a two-expeditionary-airlift-squadron initiative for C-17 squadrons. One squadron, the 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, is operating from a forward deployed location in Southwest Asia, and the other, the 817th EAS, is based at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey.
“This way of operating gives both the combatant commander as well as the aircrews the continuity needed to improve reliability and efficiency. Aircrews get accustomed to the combat environment and users get accustomed to the crew and squadron leadership. It's a win for everyone,” said Lt. Col. Lenny Richoux, 816 EAS commander.
“Air Mobility Command leadership decided to take the two squadrons, the 17th Airlift Squadron from Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., and the 7th Airlift Squadron from McChord Air Force Base, Wash., and deploy them under the 385th Expeditionary Airlift Group,” said Colonel Richoux, the Charleston-based squadron commander. “So, now we have two full squadrons in theater operating at a more a stable, predictable, efficient and disciplined manner than in the past.”
The change has given the air mobility division tactics folks at the Combined Air Operations Center predictability.
“Having the 816 EAS on regular AEF rotations helps us,” said Maj. Brian Wald, an air mobility division tactics chief deployed from Scott AFB, Ill. “They have a full-time person who handles tactical-level plans, leaving us to focus on the operational-level plans. Previously we handled both. Also, in previous rotations, the C-17 squadron had only one qualified crew and if (it was) in crew rest, we had to take care of any changes that may have come up. This isn't the case anymore.
“Ultimately,” said Major Wald, “if I find out I need an aircraft two days from now, I know they will be there.”
The new way of doing business also has allowed the squadron commander an opportunity to structure the deployed squadron more efficiently.
“When we stood up this operation, it allowed me to arrange it in a way where we could predictably fly about a dozen C-17s every day,” said Colonel Richoux. “We have to.
“I organized the fliers into hard crews (a set crew of two pilots and one loadmaster who always fly together), which is not the way airlift has been done in the past,” he said. “Airlift used to be done with
