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Teamwork is a hallmark for Air Mobility Command when it comes to
supporting warfighters and delivering Rapid Global Mobility.
Through a reliable network of partnerships, AMC supplies U.S. and
coalition forces with the support needed to take the fight to the
enemy when necessary and deliver hope to those in need.
During the recent ordered departure of all Department of Defense
dependents living in the Izmir, Adana and Mugla provinces of Turkey,
AMC called upon industry partners to help provide critical airlift
of the men, women, children and pets leaving their homes in the face
of mounting security concerns in the region.
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April 1, 2016 - Dependents of military members from Incirlik Air
Base, Turkey, wait to disembark from a C-17 Globemaster III after
landing at Baltimore Washington International Airport, MD. Defense
Department dependents in Adana, Izmir and Mugla, Turkey, were given
an ordered departure by the State Department and Secretary of
Defense (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Andrew Lee)
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Over the course of 74 hours, three contracted commercial aircraft
and six military aircraft moved nearly 650 displaced travelers and
70 pets to safe haven locations.
At an all call held at Scott
Air Force Base, Illinois, AMC Commander Gen. Carlton D. Everhart II
pointed to the presentation screen bearing the photo of a small girl
sleeping soundly aboard a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft.
The
auditorium fell silent.
"That picture says it all," the
general said. "Because of Air Mobility Command ... between the C-17s
and [commercial] 747s, that little girl can sleep well at night."
The partnerships that aided in that passenger movement are not
new to Air Mobility Command.
As the air component of U.S.
Transportation Command, AMC relies on teammates spanning the total
force. Interoperability and strong relationships with the Civil
Reserve Air Fleet, industry partners and communities provide both
combatant commanders and warfighters with a foundation of readiness
to conduct global operations and agility to accomplish the mission.
"AMC operates in a global area of responsibility," said
Everhart. "Our mission transcends borders and geographic AORs. We
are integrated with Guard, Reserve, joint, commercial and
international partners and must modernize our command and control
systems to maximize these strengths and guard against threats."
Continually fostering these relationships also provides a
framework that reduces costs across the mobility enterprise and
encourages the exchange of fresh, innovative ideas that have the
potential to shape the force of the future, said the AMC commander.
CRAF readiness remains vital to the airlift mission and allows
AMC to achieve USTRANSCOM's goals while maintaining a viable surge
capacity that meets the nation's transportation needs.
The
CRAF is a unique and significant part of the nation's air mobility
resources that provides contractually committed aircraft from U.S.
airlines to augment DoD requirements in emergencies when the need
for airlift exceeds the capability of military aircraft, according
to an AMC fact sheet.
The USTRANSCOM commander, with approval from the Secretary of
Defense, serves as the activation authority for each stage of CRAF.
As of January 2016, 23 carriers and 453 aircraft are enrolled in
CRAF and available for activation, should the need for additional
aircraft arise during a national defense or humanitarian crisis.
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April 1, 2016 - Dependents of military members from Incirlik Air
Base, Turkey, disembark from a C-17 Globemaster III after landing at
Baltimore Washington International Airport, MD. Defense Department
dependents in Adana, Izmir and Mugla, Turkey, were given an ordered
departure by the State Department and Secretary of Defense. The
aircraft is assigned to the 437th Airlift Wing at Joint Base
Charleston, S.C. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Andrew Lee)
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"We couldn't achieve Rapid Global Mobility on a large
scale without civilian airlines," said Merle Lyman, chief of
the DoD's Commercial Airlift Division at Headquarters AMC.
"We simply don't have the number of military aircraft we
need when world events push us to an unexpected surge in
activity."
Timely access to these airlift
capabilities allows mobility air forces to respond quickly
to multi-service, interagency and coalition operations.
"The Air Force puts the 'rapid' in global
mobility," said Everhart. "AMC is still required to support
an increasingly demanding operations tempo while preserving
the capability to surge if called upon. Without our total
force and CRAF partners, surge operations would be almost
impossible."
Meeting that demand for Rapid Global
Mobility through enhanced relationships and interoperability
is occurring now.
This week, teams from across the
mobility enterprise are answering the call to support
international relief efforts for victims impacted by
earthquakes in Japan and Ecuador, as well as refueling
operations that enable ongoing missions to monitor Russian
activities in the Black Sea.
As global theater
demands and changes in the geopolitical and international
scene continually evolve, officials throughout AMC, the Air
Force and the Department of Defense recognize the need to
enhance interoperability and build lasting partnerships.
"Warfighters' success depends on enhancing mobility
partnerships," said Everhart. "This construct has worked
well for more than 40 years, and to ensure readiness and
access to resources, we will continue to evaluate our total
force relationships and optimize the composition and
development of our associate programs."
By building
relationships that provide increased flexibility and
capabilities, AMC continues to deliver global contributions
that transcend branch of service to provide the joint team
with the freedom to fight in the air, on the ground and at
sea.
By U.S. Air Force Jodi Ames
Provided
through DVIDS
Copyright 2016
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