TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif.—“Air Mobility Command passengers with confirmed boarding passes for flight number A6B7 destined to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, please proceed to gate No. 2 for the final processing of your flight,” said Senior Airman Ashley Twitchell, 60 Aerial Port Squadron air transportation journeyman, on the overhead speaker inside the Travis AFB terminal.
This is one of the many jobs Airmen working in the Passenger Terminal perform.
“Our mission is to assist all Airmen leaving for deployments as well as anyone trying to board aircraft through Space Available flights,” said Staff Sgt. Isaac Portocarrero, 60th APS passenger service operations assistant supervisor. “Basically, when there is a problem or Airmen need to go out to a deployable location, they will come through here and we make sure they get where they need to go.”
From January 1st of 2019 the Passenger Terminal has helped thousands of people get to where they needed to go.
“Since the beginning of this year to now, we have assisted 20,575 people inbound and out,” said Tech. Sgt. Clifford Barsabal, 60th APS noncommissioned officer in charge. “We have also moved morethan 768,000 pounds of cargo as of Dec. 14 on 1400 flights.”
The Passenger Terminal is manned by a team of Airmen who share the same job title but perform different duties.
“Air transportation Airmen can come into work with the possibility of doing one of 15 different jobs.” Portocarrero said. “That is why they are trained to be jacks of all trades, so if they need a spot filled anyone of them can handle it.”
Upon graduating from technical training air transportation airmen are required to complete a training course shortly after arriving at their first base.
“All of our Airmen are trained from the moment they get to Travis,” Portocarrero said. “The Airmen go through port indoctrination course, which lasts six weeks. During this course, they are trained in each section that we perform in our career field. They learn everything they need to know from the front service desk to loading baggage. It’s thanks to these well rounded Airmen that this terminal is as functionally sound as it is.”
Airmen and their families are encouraged to travel through the Passenger Terminal, however, it’s best to call ahead before heading to the terminal.
“We operate a lot like an airport but only for those who are or were military and their dependents,” Twitchell said. “When an aircraft is preparing to fly out of Travis to any location, people who meet all of the requirements may board the aircraft. The requirements for active-duty Airmen using the terminal for personal reasons entail scheduling in advanced. Passengers must be on leave status with the paperwork in hand to confirm they must have their military and their ID.”
This duty on base is a key part of performing the air mobility mission and the passion these Airmen have help ensure they get the job done, added Portocarrero.
“I love my job,” Twitchell said. “Being able to help Airmen get out to their deployed locations fills me with such a sense of accomplishment. It can be pretty difficult making sure we get everyone where they need to go in a timely manner, especially with the larger groups. So I take pride in the fact that I play such a crucial role in the air mobility mission and will continue to give it my all, every day.”