OHAKEA, New Zealand -- United States Air Force Maj. Corey Akiyama checks wind velocity as (left to right) New Zealand Army Private Hamish Summers, Royal New Zealand Air Force Pilot Officer Emma Taylor and United States Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Paul Koester await the reading as the team prepare an aerial-cargo drop zone during Exercise Kiwi Flag Nov. 14 at the New Zealand Defence Force Raumi Drop Zone near Ohakea, New Zealand. The wind checks are a task which must be repeated regularly prior to the drop to ensure conditions don’t exceed safety requirements for the crew and equipment. Taylor is earning her certification as a United States Air Force drop zone safety officer during the multilateral RNZAF-sponsored tactical airlift exercise comprising air assets from the USAF, RNZAF, Royal Australian Air Force, Republic Of Singapore Armed Forces and French Armed Forces of New Caledonia. Taylor’s certification will enhance interoperability and unified responses when New Zealand and the United States both respond to a combined effort. Summers is from 51st Aerial Delivery Platoon, 5th Movements Company, 2nd Combat Services Support Battalion out of Linton Military Camp in Palmerston North, New Zealand. Taylor, an air warfare officer, is assigned to 40 Squadron, RNZAF Base Ohakea. Akiyama is deployed as the 517th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron drop zone safety officer. He is the air mobility liaison officer for the 615th Contingency Operations Support Group at home station, Camp Henry, Korea. He hails from University Place, Wash. Koester is deployed as the 517th EAS jumpmaster. He is the pararescue functional manager at home station, Pacific Air Forces Headquarters at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. He hails from Colorado Springs, Colo. Kiwi Flag personnel are supporting Exercise Southern Katipo -- held on New Zealand’s South Island -- by managing air operations and providing cargo and passenger airlift including tactical air drops to SK participants. SK hosts nine
CAMERA
N/A
LENS
APERTURE
SHUTTERSPEED
ISO
No camera details available.
This photograph is considered public domain and has been cleared for release. If you would like to republish please give the photographer appropriate credit. Further, any commercial or non-commercial use of this photograph or any other DoD image must be made in compliance with guidance found at https://www.dimoc.mil/resources/limitations, which pertains to intellectual property restrictions (e.g., copyright and trademark, including the use of official emblems, insignia, names and slogans), warnings regarding use of images of identifiable personnel, appearance of endorsement, and related matters.