HAVE YOU READ YOUR KA TODAY?
N , 2017
Volume 41, number 44
424th ABS hosts 1st ACB Story and photos by Airman 1st Class Savannah L. Waters 86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
CHIÈVRES AIR BASE, Belgium — Airmen from the 424th Air Base Squadron, a geographically separated unit of Ramstein’s 86th Airlift Wing, supported a rotation of the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade on Chièvres Air Base, Belgium, Oct. 20 and supported throughout the duration of Operation Atlantic Resolve at Powidz Air Base, Poland. The team at Chièvres normally supports a very different mission, but more than 70 424th ABS Airmen from 18 career fields demonstrated how forces are able to realign resources as they supported 77 helicopters and hosted more than 280 U.S. Army Soldiers on base. These aviation rotations enhance deterrence capabilities, increase response ability, and ensure the capability and readiness of U.S. forces in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve, allowing for a faster response in the
A U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook flies near Ramstein Air Base as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve, Oct. 25. Aviation rotations enhance deterrence capabilities, increase response ability in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve, and ensure the capability and readiness of U.S. forces, allowing for a faster response in the event of aggression by a regional adversary against NATO sovereign territory.
event of aggression by a regional adversary against NATO sovereign territory. “The 1st Air Cavalry Brigade is here as part of a movement into theater,” said Lt. Col Craig Lindstrom, 424th ABS commander. “They came into a port at Zeebrugge Port in Belgium, and Chièvres’ airfield was used as an intermediate staging field in order to
bring their aircraft and their aircrews into one location for forward movement to the East.” The 21st Theater Sustainment Command typically has a 96-hour goal for clearing a port in order to move helicopters off the port and into the intermediate staging base. During this particular rotation, the 1st ACB broke records as their efforts pulled
the operation together in just 58 hours. The 424th ABS was a key piece of that puzzle, Lindstrom said. “It couldn’t have happened without the 424th being here,” said Master Sgt. Sherresa Lasseter, 424th ABS airfield manager. “Everybody worked as one cohesive unit to get everyone down on the ground where they are supposed to, and safely. Watching people come together for this mission, for Atlantic Resolve, it’s just been incredible and an amazing experience. Teamwork at its finest.” Providing airfield operations support for the Supreme Allied Commander Europe and Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, NATO transient aircraft, and distinguished visitors during standard operations, the 424th ABS is used to supporting three to five aircraft per week. “This is a significant increase in operations for us,” Lindstrom said. “But it also shows that we have the capacity to surge and operate at a See ATLANTIC RESOLVE, Page 5
AGE ensures mission readiness
See AGE, Page 2
Preparing your vehicle for the upcoming inclement weather in Germany is essential, especially when temperatures are near freezing. Having proper winter or all-weather tires, serviceable wiper blades, and ice scrapers can alleviate an unfortunate situation. Photo by alexkich / Shutterstock.com
NEWS
Tip of the week: Ramstein observes National Disability Employment Awareness Month, Page 3
Airmen assigned to the 86th Maintenance Squadron Aerospace Ground Equipment flight perform their duties at the AGE facility Oct. 25 on Ramstein Air Base. The facility is designed for optimal efficiency. The AGE technicians can pull broken equipment straight through the bay, work on them, and send them back out to the flightline without obstructing work flow.
A half step down, a whole step up, Page 6
LIFESTYLES
Mechanical guts hang out of the open side of a generator. With grease covered hands, the maintenance crew patches up the unit, bringing the beast to life again before sending it away to feed power to an aircraft on the flightline. The 86th Maintenance Squadron Aerospace Ground Equipment Flight works around the clock to provide aircraft maintenance the tools necessary to achieve their mission.
“We supply ground power for airpower,” said Staff Sgt. Herman Bowser, 86th MXS AGE craftsman. “We fix all of the equipment that the crew chiefs use, or anybody else on base for that matter.” Aerospace ground equipment technicians work with many units varying from base to base depending on the mission. Here, the biggest part of their workload is maintaining generators. “You go to another base, the layout and lineup of equipment may be entirely
FEATURE
Story and photos by Senior Airman Devin Boyer 86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
Rodenbach club sponsors torch run, Page 17