An official website of the United States government
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Homestead reservists bring teamwork, humor 'To the Port'

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Jessica Lockoski
  • 506th Air Expeditionary Group Public Affairs
KIRKUK REGIONAL AIR BASE, Iraq --  A group of aerial porters deployed here from the 70th Aerial Port Squadron, Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla., find humor in comparing Iraq's sun and sand at this northern Operation Iraqi Freedom air base to those elements at home in southern Florida.

These Air Force reservists, so-called "Port Dawgs" who make up a flight in the 506th Logistics Readiness Squadron here, brought their wit and teamwork to accomplish all aerial port missions.

"To the Port" is a motto that expresses the enthusiasm that her Airmen bring to their jobs, said Maj. Diane Echols, the 70th's commander at Homestead, and the 506th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron commander here.

"In this deployed environment, aerial port operations are 24 hours per day, seven days a week, leaving the crews eating mass meals and meals-ready-to-eat instead of frequenting the dining facility. That's the life of an aerial porter," said Tech. Sgt. David Baumgartner, a Tampa, Fla., native.

It's a situation that creates a bonding relationship for the porters.

During a morning ritual, they find humor in not counting down the remaining days of their four-month deployment; everyday remains the same.

"Good morning, Kirkuk! Only 129 more days," a dozen or more aerial porters roar toward the latched windows of their blue bus during their early morning convoy to work.

After their morning chuckle, they get "down to business" load planning, a critical skill to develop safe and efficient weight and balance plans for each aircraft and helping each other push pallets up to 20 times their individual size.

"Our small numbers force us to work together here," Sergeant Baumgartner said. "Without the help of everyone else, it makes huge tasks harder. Communication is key, especially around an aircraft."

In addition to U.S. aircraft, the aerial port Airmen also support incoming and outgoing coalition, Iraqi and civilian airliners.

Sergeant Baumgartner said he feels the rewarding part for his team comes through processing their passengers.

"I get satisfaction from the littlest things," he said. "Arranging for service members to return to the States on emergency leave is one. We try to jump through hoops to get people out of here, and they come back a week or so later and thank us with sincerity.

"The more adversity we face or the harder the project is, the happier we are," he said.

Working together every day, some adversity is expected.

"You come to know each other's grumpy days, too," he said.

For one new NCO in the squadron, the rewarding parts of his deployment come in the skills he's learning in a new work section and what he gains from his co-workers.

"Prior to this deployment, I hadn't worked in air freight, said Staff Sgt. Daniel Tidings, a Sunrise, Fla., native. "It's good to learn something new, and the people I'm working with have a lot of knowledge to get me up to par. It's a part of the aerial port piece that was missing for me."

Sergeant Tidings praises his supervisor and mentor, Tech. Sgt. Chad Ehrlich.

"He teaches you how to do it and gives you the opportunity to try it. Even if you're wrong, or you're doing it wrong, he gives you the opportunity to learn from your actions."

Sergeant Ehrlich, a native to Cocoa, Fla., and other Airmen in air freight have processed more than 2,000 short tons of cargo since their arrival. Additionally, they have processed more than 11,500 passengers and almost 1,050 aircraft missions.

Squadron leaders applied a similar training approach to get the squadron "up to par" in the months preceding the deployment by reading themselves with training and team building exercises.

"We did our unit training assembly prior to this deployment," Fort Worth, Texas, native Major Echols said.

As a group, these Airmen practiced everything they thought they'd encounter in their deployed environment, she said. This included engine-running off loads, pallet building, alarm conditions under enemy attack, post attack reconnaissance sweeps and ramp ceremonies for fallen service members.

Joking aside, as the "Port Dawgs" tour winds down it's clear the preparation has paid off.

"The fact they have not had an aircraft delay yet and or a safety incident, continues to amaze me," Major Echols said.