COLD FRONTier

  • Published
  • By TSgt Aries D. Early
  • 13th Air Force Public Affairs
HICKAM AIR FORCE BASE, Hawaii --  People all over the globe are dealing with abnormally cold weather. Ask someone involved with Operation Deep Freeze about the bracing conditions of Chicago, New York and even Florida, and they may begin to shake their head and let out a chuckle. Operation Deep Freeze, Uses a 13th Air Force-led Joint Task Force responsible for the coordination of strategic airlift, field support airlift, emergency response and aeromedical evacuation.

It's also tasked with sealift duties, seaport access, bulk fuel supply, port cargo handling and other transportation related requirements conducted in Antarctica. All of this is done in what is considered by many to be one of the most difficult peacetime duty assignments. This is mainly because of the harsh environment and after all, Antarctica is the coldest, windiest, highest and most inhospitable continent on the globe.

More than halfway through the 2009-2010 season, which ends the later part of February, U.S. military personnel assigned to the "icebox" have made many major contributions in support of the National Scientific Foundation's efforts.

"[We're] participating in a major change in airfield operations at McMurdo Station," says Col. Paul Sheppard, deputy commander, Joint Task Force -Support Forces Antarctica.

In previous years, LC-130 Hercules operations were located at an airfield known as Williams Field Skiway and C-17 Globemaster III operations were at Pegasus Field Runway from Dec. 1 until the season's end. This year, all operations were consolidated at Pegasus Field.

"A new skiway was build at Pegasus for the LC-130 fleet and the consolidation of aircraft has been a success."

Colonel Sheppard admits that even though the work can get pretty hard, it's easy when you're surrounded by "cool" people, but what he's most proud of is the safety record that the program has under the leadership of the U.S. Air Force.

"Since acquiring the mission in 1998, we have never lost any of our military members or aircraft. This is a very dangerous environment, we know that, and we act accordingly."

So far, 53 C-17 missions have been flown between Christchurch, New Zealand and McMurdo Station, Antarctica, transporting 2,700 passengers and more than 3.5 million pounds of cargo. Ski-equipped LC-130 aircraft have flown 292 missions ferrying nearly 2,000 passengers and more than 8.1 million total cargo pounds from McMurdo Station to the South Pole and other research posts throughout Antarctica.