Joint Base leaders enjoy orientation flight

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Nathan Allen
  • 15th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR HICKAM, Hi --  Navy and Air Force leaders joined forces to participate in an orientation flight May 24 here as Air Force pilots and loadmasters showed off the C-17's combat airlift capabilities to Navy Sailors.

The orientation flight was an opportunity for Air Force, Navy, and Air National Guard leaders to get a better understanding of each other's needs and capabilities.

Rear Adm. Dixon Smith, Navy Region Hawaii and Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific commander, said learning about other services is the key to providing support.

"We want to make sure we understand what they do and what their missions are," the Admiral said. "Today it's with the C-17 squadron to understand what their mission is and what their capabilities are."

The C-17 Globemaster III is the newest, most flexible cargo aircraft to enter the airlift force. The C-17 is capable of rapid strategic delivery of troops and all types of cargo to main operating bases or directly to forward bases in the deployment area. The aircraft can perform tactical airlift and airdrop missions and can also transport litters and ambulatory patients during aeromedical evacuations when required. The inherent flexibility and performance of the C-17 force improve the ability of the total airlift system to fulfill the worldwide air mobility requirements of the United States.

Admiral Smith praised the Airmen involved with the flight for their skill and professionalism in handling the C-17.

"We went up today and got a tour of their spaces, watched them do a drop, do a combat assault, and basically just get a better understanding of their capabilities," he said. "They're all true professionals. It's great to be part of a team."

Earlier this year, Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam was born by combining Pearl Harbor Naval Base and Hickam Air Force Base into a single joint installation to support both Air Force and Navy missions, along with tenant commands, and all our service members and their families.

"The Navy is providing a support role to the Air Force here at Hickam," he said. "To enable us to do that, we have to make sure we're providing the service we need to the Air Force warfighters."

The goal of the consolidation is to enhance warfighting readiness, maximize delivery of installation support services throughout the joint base, and capture identified efficiencies.

Admiral Smith said the future of the joint base environment here is bright.

"I think we're gonna work together really well," he said. "We both have a responsibility to get to know each other better, what our capabilities are, what our needs are, to make sure we can support each other and to support the joint base construct so we can take the fight forward and be ready for combat."