Maj. Chris Klopping was a member of the 446th Airlift Wing Globemaster III aircrew that transported Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to Tripoli, Libya. An active-duty crewmember from the 62nd Airlift Wing and a Raven unit from the 627th Air Base Group also supported the mission. (U.S. Air Force photo/ 2nd Lt. Lori Fiorello)

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Airman 1st Class Brad Stratton, 97th Airlift Squadron loadmaster, McChord Field, Wash., removes chains from aircraft equipment in the cargo area of a C-17 Globemaster III, Oct. 20, 2011 at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C. This was the last stop for the C-17 crew that transported Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to Tripoli, Libya, earlier this week. An active-duty crewmember from the 62nd Airlift Wing and a Raven unit from the 627th Air Base Group also supported the mission. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Neil D. Warner)

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U.S. Air Force Reservists from the 97th Airlift Squadron, McChord Field, Wash., (from left to right) Maj. Chris Klopping, Lt. Col. Scott Ryan, Master Sgt. Jeremy Parker, Airman 1st Class Bradley Stratton, and Capt. Richard Matthews, stand in front of the C-17 Globemaster III that transported Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to Tripoli, Libya earlier this week. An active-duty crewmember from the 62nd Airlift Wing and a Raven unit from the 627th Air Base Group also supported the mission. (U.S. Air Force photo/2nd Lt. Lori Fiorello)

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McChord aircrew transport Secretary of State to Libya

Published Oct. 21, 2011
By Jake Chappelle
446th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

MCCHORD FIELD, Wash. -- It was originally planned as a routine airlift mission. But a Total Force aircrew ended up carrying precious cargo on a C-17 Globemaster III to Tripoli, Libya earlier this week.

The seven-man crew, made up of six Reservists and an active-duty pilot, were given the task of transporting U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on the State Department mission.

"It's an honor to transport someone like that," said Lt. Col. Scott Ryan, 97th Airlift Squadron instructor pilot. "What makes it better is when you're doing it to help foster a relationship with the new transitional government in Libya."

Clinton visited Libya to pledge millions of dollars in new aid, to include, medical care for wounded fighters and additional assistance to secure weaponry.

"Originally, we were tasked with a different mission," said Ryan, a Seattle resident. "The mission changed Friday and we found out we would be transporting (Hillary Clinton) when we got our briefing Sunday."

The crew stopped briefly at Travis Air Force Base, Calif., to pick up supplies before the C-17 embarked to pick up the secretary earlier this week and arrived here Oct. 20.

According to Ryan, this is the first time a C-17 has landed in Libya since Operation Unified Protector began.