Week presents base with 'perfect storm'

  • Published
  • By Colonel M. J. (Sonny) Giddings, Jr.
  • 349th Maintenance Group commander
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Unknown and unseen by the American public, but for one week in March, it seems we were everything to everyone. We answered the call and met every tasking the American people expect of their military. With little fanfare or notice to the American population, except those we touched, we did our job seamlessly.

In addition to the now regularly high operation tempo we are supporting for Operations Enduring Freedom and New Dawn, we added a seemingly insurmountable number of missions to our workload during this one week.

Operation Tomodachi: In the wake of the tsunami and earthquakes in Japan, we answered the call to help those in need. On March 23 alone, at the height of the disaster response, the Air Force carried out at least 25 missions, delivering 486 tons of food, water, fuel and other emergency supplies, as reported by CNN. We continue to aid in the humanitarian cargo delivery.

Operation Pacific Passage: When military families needed assistance to depart after the Japanese tsunami and earthquakes, we answered the call. Travis volunteers assisted more than 2,600 passengers and 150 pets through the Travis Passenger Terminal and transported the military members and dependents to local airports expediting reunions with their family members.

Operation Odyssey Dawn: With President Barack Obama's decision to join our allies in the Libyan campaign, we answered the call, supporting North Atlantic Treaty Organization aircraft with tanker and maintenance support, for an undefined length of time.

Operations New Dawn and Enduring Freedom: The changing missions in Iraq and Afghanistan have not changed the constant need for our airlift and air bridge support to our warfighters on the ground.

Phoenix Banner Mission: When the president calls, we respond with the needed assets for success. During this week, our aircraft made sure our commander in chief was able to move effortlessly on his recent trip to South America.

Then, of course, we have our readiness exercises and preparation for our operational inspections.

Exercise Neptune Falcon: Team Travis hosted additional tankers, supported with our limited maintenance workforce, during this same week. Practicing and improving large-formation air-to-air refueling operations and overall global-reach capabilities. We validated the concept with implications of national importance.

Preparation and focus on our compliance inspection has continued without yielding to the demands encountered by this week in March. We are on track to meet or exceed any inspector requirement.

Travis continues preparing, training and exercising regardless of what comes our way...this is where it all pays off. The seamless integration of active and reserve forces continues to show through, even at the highest of operations tempos. This one week in March was our perfect storm: when expectations, requirements and world events all merged, taxing our abilities, stamina and attitudes, we did not falter.

Thank you, Airmen, for always answering the call with professionalism, selflessness and a never-ending dedication to duty.