Mobility Machine

KUNSAN AIR BASE, Republic Of Korea -- Airman 1st Class Nathan Dunlap uses hand signals to communicate with Senior Airman Michael Cuellar, both from the 8th logistics Readiness Squadron, while he unloads cargo pallets here Sept. 11. The cargo pallets are being sent with Airmen of the 8th Fighter Wing to Red Flag-Alaska. (US Air Force Photo By: Angela Ruiz)

Mobility Machine

KUNSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea -Senior Airman Ronnie Lyman, 8th Maintenance Squadron completes paperwork in the Personnel Deployment Function line before forward deploying in support of exercise Red Flag-Alaska here Sept. 12. The PDF Line is the final check for deploying Airman to ensure all paper work is correct and shot records are up to date before deploying. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Dana Hill)

Mobility Machine

KUNSAN AIR BASE, Republic Of Korea -- Senior Airman Sean Jalandoni, 8th Medical Group administers the flu mist to Staff Sgt. Jesus Gaston Rivera, 8th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron in the Personnel Deployment Function line before forward deploying in support of Red Flag-Alaska here Sept. 12. The PDF Line is the final check for deploying Airman to ensure all paper work is correct and shot records are up to date before deploying. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Dana Hill)

Mobility Machine fires up for Red Flag-Alaska

Published Sept. 17, 2008
By Senior Airman Angela Ruiz
8th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

KUNSAN AIR BASE, Republic Of Korea -- The Wolf Pack's 8th Logistic Readiness Squadron is unique in their role in accepting follow on forces as opposed to deploying forces out.

However, the squadron saw the opportunity to practice the deployment process when they treated a TDY to Alaska for a Red Flag exercise the same as a deployment by scheduling, processing, and deploying more than 200 Airmen out of Kunsan Air Base.

"It's our bread and butter," said Capt. Michael Carter, 8th LRS installation deployment officer. "This is what we live for--deployments and redeployments."

The 8th LRS plays a large role when it comes to deployments, from fueling up the jets to coordinating how many Airmen deploy.

"We run the deployment, the entire deployment function, except for personnel processing, which resides within LRS," said Captain Carter. "Logistics planners coordinate everything from the get go."

The logistics plans shop organizes, schedules, coordinates, plans, and requests airlift. Traffic management and air transportation handle the processing, load planning, and loading of all cargo. While vehicle operations handles the movement of all personnel and cargo from the units to the aircraft.

According to the captain, a typical base has a pre-built deployment plan detailing what equipment and personnel they would take if tasked. They then take that basic plan and then pull out what the unit doesn't need.

"We did things the other way around," he said. "When we were tasked we had to figure out what to put into the plan to build it up. When we come to Kunsan we're deployed in place and the plan isn't built as readily to deploy, the units aren't used to getting their stuff ready as they would in a regular deployment so we run into some challenges."

In order to keep the LRS Airmen's deployment skills sharp, they process Airmen out of Kunsan for TDY no different than they would for a deployment.

"It is a way for us to stay sharp," said Captain Carter. "It is a guarantee that as soon as we get back to our follow on [base] we are going to have to face some type of deployment."

All of the Wolf Pack's mobility machine's work came to fruition early Sept. 14th as two KC-10's Extenders launched out of Kunsan bound for Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska.

"Without LRS in the mix there would be no deployment," said Captain Carter.