60th APS members continue striving toward goals

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Douglas Engberson
  • 60th Aerial Port Squadron commander
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  While the 60th Aerial Port Squadron just finished welcoming back its award-winning 2007 Rodeo Team, they also are in the midst of saying goodbye to half as they depart to support the war effort in Air Expeditionary Force 9/10.

The port is in the middle of ensuring its members are adequately trained and prepared to deploy to the area of responsibility.

There is no doubt the 60th APS will get Team Travis Airmen out the door with the same flawless expertise as in years prior, while also charged with deploying the largest amount of squadron members at one time.

As a result, the 60th APS continues to emulate their motto, 'Deeds not Words.' The aerial port deployers are leading the way as members of the first AEF bucket at Travis to receive the new Air Battle Uniform. The squadron coordinates with its sister squadron, the 60th Logistics Readiness Squadron, to ensure all deployers are sized up and dressed down in their brand new uniforms.

In addition to the new uniforms, the recent deployers also lead the way as the first set of deployers to receive their series of mandatory Anthrax shots. As each requirement is received, members exhibit the Team Travis concept by continuing to work with the 60th Medical Group to ensure members meet all medical requirements prior to deployment.

The squadron as a whole put a lot of time and effort into ensuring Porters are prepared for deployment. But the real work begins as soon as the first Airman departs the base. As the largest squadron on base, it also has the largest amount of spouses and families that are at home while there deployed members are away.

As a result, the squadron constantly looks at ways to support the families. One of the squadron's top goals is to increase the amount of Phoenix Spouses in the squadron. The 60th APS also strives to support the families by holding spouses' dinners and we recently had one of our own picked to be the Kids Understanding Deployments Program Mission Support Group leader.

While our valued team members are deployed across the squadron, those left behind continue to work the mission and support those in the Area of Responsibility. As the 60th APS gets cargo and people on planes to support the war, they also send a large amount of their own while exhibiting our motto ... 'Deeds not Words.'