C-130 dedication honors 82nd Airborne Soldiers in Afghanistan

Published Oct. 7, 2009
By Tech. Sgt. John Jung
455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- Air Force officials here dedicated a C-130 Hercules Oct. 5 to the Soldiers of the 82nd Airborne Division deployed to Bagram Airfield.

The transport was originally dedicated Oct. 25, 2008, in North Carolina at Pope Air Force Base to Fort Bragg's entire 82nd Airborne Division.

Tail No. 79282 from Air Force Reserve Command's 440th Airlift Wing at Pope AFB has official nose art prominently displaying an American eagle in flight surrounding the iconic 82nd Airborne's insignia wings on the aircraft's fuselage. The plane also sports "Bragg-Pope" on its tail flash, showing the close relationship between Fort Bragg and Pope AFB.

An aircrew from the 2nd Airlift Squadron, an active associate unit that partners with the 440th AW, deployed to Bagram to fly the Air Force Reserve C-130. Capts. Alan Rathjen and Laura Easton pilot the plane, and Staff Sgt. Matt Metz is the loadmaster. While deployed, they are assigned to the 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron.

"The aircraft is being dedicated to the 82nd in honor of the cohesion of the Air Force and the Army in the fight in Afghanistan," said Captain Rathjen, a native of St. Louis.

While the dedication was symbolic, the tangible effects of the C-130 are felt every day by Airmen and Soldiers in Afghanistan.

"A few days ago we airdropped (Meals, Ready to Eat) and water down to Soldiers at a (forward operating base)," said Captain Easton, a native of Pittsburgh. "It's the mission we trained for at the 2nd AS and (one) we're ready to employ here for the joint fight."

Master Sgt. John Plasse of the Army National Guard's 38th Infantry Division is one of the Soldiers on the ground in Afghanistan.

"I came here to be a part of history," said Sergeant Plasse, who serves as an Afghan national security forces liaison. "It's great to have something you've worked in, flown into and out of combat with ... and then it's gotten you home safely all those times ... dedicated to you and your fellow Soldiers."

C-130s are well suited for airdropping critical supplies to Soldiers on the ground in Afghanistan. The airdrops have proven to be a safe and reliable method for delivering vital supplies into locations where roads don't exist, the terrain is too mountainous, the cargo is too heavy for helicopters, or where the insurgent threat is too great.

From Bagram Airfield, the aircraft average 5 to 8 tons of cargo per airdrop.

September was the fourth consecutive month in which an increase of supplies was airdropped by the Air Force to coalition partners and local citizens across Afghanistan. A total of 4.1 million pounds of goods were dropped to forward operating bases, combat outposts and other austere locations in support of ground forces.

"It's our day-to-day job," said Sergeant Metz, who is from Springfield, Va. "I'm proud to have brought this C-130 to Afghanistan for the dedication, but I'm more gratified being the loadmaster who gets to airdrop (supplies) to the guys on the ground." (Air Force Reserve Command News Service)