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Travis leaders drive rivets at C-17 Major Join

  • Published
  • By Capt. Venessa Hillman and 1st Lt. Robin Jackson
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing and 349th AMW Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Military leaders from here got the honor of driving the final rivets into the base’s new C-17 Globemaster III jet transport during a ceremony at the Boeing plant in Long Beach, Calif., March 17.

Brig. Gen. Thomas Gisler Jr., 349th Air Mobility Wing commander, and Col. Timothy Zadalis, 60th AMW vice commander, traveled with about 70 base representatives to participate in a ceremony. The “Major Join” marked a milestone in the production of the jet when the primary portions of the aircraft came together.

Until that point, the naked skeleton of the plane was only called P-154, marking the number of C-17s Boeing has produced for the Air Force. After the rivets were set in place, David Bowman, Boeing vice president and C-17 program manager, renamed the jet.

“From here on out this aircraft will be called Travis 1,” he said.

Colonel Zadalis told the crowd that after production the aircraft will be dedicated to the local community for its ongoing support and receive the name “Spirit of Solano.”

“The surrounding communities of Solano have been terrific in their unwavering support of our base in northern California,” said Col. Michael Shanahan, C-17 Program Integration Office chief. “It seems fitting that we salute that commitment by naming the first C-17A after the community.”

Colonel Zadalis thanked the Boeing team for producing the aircraft for Travis and the benefits it will give to the base.

“Travis already has the premier tanker with the KC-10 Extender and the strategic airlift workhorse of the Air Force, the C-5 Galaxy,” he said. “The combination of strategic aircraft and tactical theater airlift capabilities the C-17 brings will truly make Travis the gateway to the Pacific and the premier mobility wing fighting the Global War on Terrorism. We continue to be America’s First Choice now more than ever.”

The 60th and 349th AMWs will be the only units to concurrently operate three weapons systems within the Air Force.

General Gisler praised the Boeing production team – “the southern most members of the Travis Team.”

“I promise we will fly this aircraft with the same spirit in which it was put together, he said. “The C-17’s agility is certainly well known. It has become the transporter of choice around the world, taking the fight to the enemy.

“This Major Join is literally where the rubber meets the road, and we can physically see the transition of a machine becoming a Globemaster III,” the general said. “It is thrilling to be a part of this history making moment.”

The Major Join ceremony showcased the pride and involvement of all the major players – Boeing, the Air Force and the Travis wings, according to Chief Master Sgt. Gregory McGee, 749th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and the scheduled C-17 maintenance squadron superintendent.

“It was very well-orchestrated event that helped build excitement and anticipation,” the chief said.

“The C-17 mission will have a positive influence on our maintenance unit,” he said. “There is a lot of excitement and anxiety because of change. That is good news for the Air Force Reserve Command. We will aggressively pursue training and training opportunities. Our goal is to become proficient in minimum time. Our maintainers’ experience on other weapon systems will help bridge the gap between the known and the unknown. The average years of experience is 15 years. Team Travis’ tradition of one team no seam will be strengthened.”

The C-17 will increase both the wings’ ability to accomplish the total force, global-reach mission, which is critical in the war on terrorism, said Colonel Shanahan.

“In the big picture, we simply cannot keep pace with the GWOT without the assistance of our Reserve partners,” he said.

“The active and Reserve members are receiving initial training on a parallel track, and in most cases they are in the same classes,” said Chief McGee. “The Team Travis approach is vital to sustaining this new weapon system. We have been preparing to receive this aircraft as a team.”

Colonel Shanahan agrees with the chief.

“They have, in every way, an equal role to play with the C-17A,” the colonel said. “In fact, my staff has a full-time reservist dedicated to ensuring we bed-down this great aircraft properly.

“My office touches every aspect of the C-17 bed-down and to that end, we could not do it without the inputs of the 349th AMW,” said Colonel Shanahan. “They have been great partners.”

Assembly on the first C-17 for the Travis Team began in September at the Boeing Long Beach factory.

Since then, thousands of Boeing technicians, engineers and mechanics have worked to produce the major components for this C-17 military transport plane being assembled for the Travis Team.

“The synergy is great; the energy is contagious,” said Chief McGee. “We will continue to work as one team. We all understand that our ability to project our force to any part of the globe quickly requires it. The Air Force Reserve and, in particular the 349th Wing, is a flexible, adaptable force, and very efficient in executing the mission.

“Our members will make the sacrifices to become as proficient on this weapon system as possible,” he said. “We are always ready and capable of taking on new challenges. When we block the C-17 in for the first time, we embark on a new frontier. The members of the maintenance group are the best at what we do. The C-17 is in good hands.”

Travis officials expect to receive the first of 13 jets by the end of July. (AFRC News Service)