374 FSS and 730 AMS team up to fill planes to capacity

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt Raymond Geoffroy
  • 374th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan --  Moving several hundred people from Japan is no small task, but two Yokota squadrons proved they were up to the task when they processed 296 people for Operation Pacific Passage March 23.

It all began Wednesday morning. Airmen from Yokota's 374th Force Support Squadron and 730th Air Mobility Squadron prepared to receive 296 family members from Yokosuka Naval Station in northern Japan for a flight heading stateside later that morning. But the plan changed dramatically when Yokosuka officials announced they could only send 192 passengers to Yokota, leaving 104 seats vacant.

In order to help families depart Japan as efficiently as possible and to save future flight costs wing leadership decided to fill the remaining seats with Yokota family members waiting for a flight.

"We were already getting Yokota passengers ready for a later flight," said Capt. Michael Weeks, 374th Manpower and Personnel Flight commander. "We called families interested in leaving and we quickly filled those vacant seats."

By 2 a.m., flight notifications were flowing to Yokota passengers. People from a variety of base agencies set up shop at the Taiyo Community Center to help process all the Yokota spouses, children and pets.

"We had representatives from legal, finance, the housing office, American Red Cross and civilian personnel all here to advise families on the outprocessing line," Captain Weeks said. "We also had a whole cast of augmentees all around the wing, as well as the Airmen and family readiness center managing the process."


Passengers received wristbands for each departing family member to validate they had been processed. From there, they were asked to wait for notification that a flight was available.

With the passengers processed and ready to go, representatives on the outprocessing line were able to address specific questions.

"We had a slew of people with personal concerns," Captain Weeks said. "However, our station experts were able to resolve problems for people as they went through the line.

The work didn't end at the Taiyo and for the Airmen of the 730th AMS, preparing this mission proved challenging.

"When you set up a flight, usually you do one mission from one location, but in this case we had people from both Yokosuka and last-minute additions from Yokota. We, in turn, had to get a new manifest together from scratch," said Staff Sgt. Preston Bolen, 730th AMS passenger terminal night shift supervisor. "We had five Airmen working hard to get 296 passengers on to the flight. The process took roughly five hours."

The manifest was only part of the equation for the passenger terminal. The night shift -- manned for a lesser mission load based on previously expected flight activity -- also had to process and load all the baggage and pets.

Fortunately, the seven Airmen manning the passenger terminal were also helped by nine Marines tasked on the fly to support the Airmen.

"We receive lot of help from the Marines here on base," Sergeant Bolen said. "We could not have done it without them."

Operation Pacific Passage is in response to the devastating 9.0 magnitude earthquake and tsunami that ravaged Japan March 11. Since then, several families have elected to temporarily relocate so active duty servicemembers could focus on relief efforts. Ultimately, its success depends on the flexibility and determination of the men and women working hard to keep passengers flowing and planes moving.

Or as it's known at the 374th Airlift Wing, just another day at Yokota.