Travis chips in all over the globe

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Glenn Goss
  • 6th Air Refueling Squadron
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  As commanders we often get to share the stories about our extraordinary Airmen and the outstanding jobs they do on a daily basis.

I recently received a letter from U.S. Navy Capt. S.P. McInerney, 17 Carrier Air Wing commander, aboard the USS. Carl Vinson, who expressed his sincere appreciation for a deployed aircrew from Team Travis regarding a recent event that happened in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

On March 10, 2011, a mechanical failure on the landing gear of an EA-6B Prowler fouled the deck of the aircraft carrier and made it unavailable to other aircraft also arriving at the carrier.

Approximately 15 F/A-18 Hornet fighter aircraft were unable to reach a suitable divert and did not have enough fuel to orbit the carrier while emergency crews cleared the flight deck of debris.

Upon hearing the mayday calls from the emergency aircraft, a Travis KC-10 Extender, delayed its assigned mission and preceded overhead the aircraft carrier.

That night, the KC-10 provided more than 30,000 pounds of fuel to all of the orbiting aircraft and ensured that none of the F/A-18s reached a low-fuel state. This gave the flight deck personnel enough time to remove the EA-6B and debris from the critical landing area. Captain McInerney concluded his letter by saying, "Please pass my sincere appreciation to the members of the crew for their outstanding support. Your exceptional professional ability, initiative and selfless devotion to duty reflect credit upon yourselves and the United States Air Force."

I couldn't be more proud of the crew which includes Capt. Levi Sheppard, 1st Lt. Michael Cavanaugh, Tech. Sgt. John McCarty and Airman 1st Class Andrew Bear and their efforts that day. This one example shows that as members of the armed services we may be called to perform duties that are nonstandard, or out of the norm, in order to save the lives of fellow service members or coalition partners. Therefore it is the responsibility of all of us to always be prepared in our training and education, so that when an emergency occurs or when our nation calls, we can respond in the quickest and most efficient way possible.

Flying operations are a team effort. It is important to remember that it took a professional Air Force team to ensure the KC-10 was able to answer Captain McInerney's call for help that day.

For example, if it wasn't for the effort from the maintenance personnel to ensure a flight-worthy jet, the transportation member's ability to stick to a strict time-line or the medical team to provide the appropriate care for the crew, then this mission would not have been possible. Since every part of the team did an outstanding job, the crew was able to prevent a devastating mishap from happening.

This event reaffirms my belief that we are all a part of a greater team and should always work together to get the mission accomplished. No matter the other teammate ... Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard or coalition partners, we all work together for a common purpose and strive to reach unified goals.

I am proud that I am a part of that team and the professionalism and dedication that we put forth  every day.