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535th Airlift Squadron conducts airlift operations in Guam

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Nathan Allen
  • 15th Wing Public Affairs
ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam - --  The 15th Wing's own 535th Airlift Squadron from Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam, Hawaii took to the skies April 5 on a five-day mission here to fly, execute airdrops, and foster joint service and international interoperability in the Pacific theater.

Major Alan Partridge, mission commander, 535th Airlift Squadron, said the 15th Wing has a unique relationship with the 36th Contingency Response Group, Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, as well as personnel at Naval Base Guam. These synergistic relationships allow all parties involved to work together to stay mission ready.

"A boat drop is an extraction airdrop, so it counts for our currency and also gives us an opportunity to do relevant airdrop training. When we combine that with our airdrop training with the 36th CRG, those things together make this (temporary duty) here very valuable," said Partridge. "There are only two C-17 (Globemaster III) wings that have an official boat drop program and since we're the only one in the Pacific with all the expansive ocean around us in Hawaii, it makes sense to maintain the capability."

Captain Steve Nolan, 15th Wing deputy chief of wing tactics, believes having the chance to work alongside other branches of service benefits all parties involved.

"Anytime we have an opportunity to work with other agencies or partners, it's a plus" Nolan said. "We don't live in a vacuum. One part of our goal here is to execute the mission and the other is to build relationships so we can be trusted and counted on in the future. The relationship we build now goes a long way into the future by remembering the Hickam guys doing great work and being professionals. It says a lot about our squadron and the C-17 capabilities we can provide."

While some may consider Guam and Oahu to be similar in some regards, Partridge stated a few differences that made Guam a logical choice to conduct airlift operations, aside from the presence of the 36th CRG and the Navy.

"Hawaii is limited because our drop zones are small and have limited availability," Partridge said. "Right now, we are struggling to maintain our drop currency for heavy equipment in Hawaii. For us to bring our metal down here and get some joint training is good for us and good for them. It allows us all to stay current and build relationships."

Master Sgt. Tim Ledford, 535th Airlift Squadron loadmaster superintendent, said the learning experiences that took place during this mission will ultimately help joint-service and international military interoperability.

"When it comes down to it, that's how we're going to deploy. We can deploy with any service. It's a good learning experience, a good give and take of how we deploy and how they deploy. There's a lot of learning that can be done between the two," said Ledford. "It's also neat to see the international jumpers get familiar with their airplane and for them to jump out of it. Ultimately, we're all fighting the same fight and all in it together."

Partridge said the boat drop, as well as the other items dropped during their time here, help enable the 535th Airlift Squadron to be ready to respond to a variety of situations, no matter the distance.

"It allows us to be more flexible in the types of problems we can solve in the future," said Partridge. "In our area of responsibility, which is mostly comprised of ocean, it is important that we leverage the capabilities of the C-17 to overcome the tyranny of distance, and in this case, through maritime airdrop operations."