Augmented cargo for the ORE

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Saphfire Cook
  • 355th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz --  During an operational readiness exercise, a base is rated on numerous subjects, including the cargo section of its flightline. D-M's cargo unit is minimally manned, so to meet the needs of the base's most recent ORE, Airmen volunteered to act as cargo augmentees.

Throughout the year, the 355th Logistics Readiness Squadron teaches cargo preparation courses. Participants are taught the payload process from pallet buildup to chalk drop, said Staff Sgt. Christopher Jennings, 355th LRS material handler.

"We learned things like proper buildup procedures when placing goods on the pallets, how to strap them down and what types of personal protective equipment to wear," Jennings said.

For the duration of the exercise, augmentees were assigned to the cargo deployment function, located on D-M's flightline.

"Cargo is a very important part of the mission," said Airman 1st Class Sean Guzman, 355th LRS truck maintenance. "The deployment mission is not going to happen if cargo is not there to load the equipment necessary for everyday functions."

Augmentees were responsible for quality checking the pallets and loading them onto a cargo aircraft, ensuring they were properly stowed so they arrived intact.

"One of the things we do out here is ensure that the pallets meet Air Force instruction standards before they are loaded onto the plane," said Tech. Sgt. Michael Niumata, 355th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron increment pallet monitor. "We ensure that the straps are attached correctly, materials are stable and in the proper protective packaging."

When the goods arrive they are weighed and logged into the database by the in-checkers. The load crew then breaks up the stacks into individual pallets for inspection. Once the monitors examine the cargo it is either moved to the side for loading or taken to the frustrated cargo section.

"Frustrated cargo is a pallet that does not pass inspection," Niumata said. "It could be improperly packaged or it could have gotten damaged."

Once the pallets have passed inspection the load crew moves them onto the aircraft according to a pre-set load plan.

The load plan is in integral part of the cargo mission, said Senior Airman Joshua Geagley, 355th AMXS increment pallet monitor. If the cargo is loaded incorrectly it throws off the aircraft's scheduled take off, which in turns affects the troops waiting on the equipment.

To uphold air power, deployed units need to receive the secondary supplies onboard the cargo planes in a timely manner.

"Without the cargo, the Air Force couldn't sustain their air power after the initial response," said Tech. Sgt. Mitchell Sorrells, 355th LRS small air terminal operations section chief. "Fighters can only carry a limited amount of supplies on them and they would not be able to sustain additional sorties without the logistical cargo arriving close behind them."