Jingle Air supplies isolated Soldiers

Photo By Sgt. Charles Brice | A Jingle Air, Mi-8 HIP heavy-duty helicopter, flies en route to forward operating base in Afghanistan during a cargo airlift mission, June 7. Jingle Air pilots hail from different countries and nationalities. Still, they all work together toward a common goal - to ensure the cargo gets to its destination.  

KHOST, AFGHANISTAN

06.22.2008

Story by Sgt. Charles Brice 

382nd Public Affairs Detachment

By Sgt. Charles Brice
382nd Public Affairs Detachment

FORWARD OPERATING BASE SALERNO, Afghanistan – Imagine being a Soldier out on the border of eastern Afghanistan and the only connection to the rest of the world is a pallet of supplies on the back of a foreign helicopter. That is what it is like for coalition forces cut off and isolated throughout parts of Afghanistan. With the troops focused on combat missions, the Mesopotamia Group created Jingle Air to move cargo in-and-out of hard to reach locations.

Jingle Air offers helicopter services throughout Afghanistan.

The name comes from the popular jingle culture which resides in Afghanistan. People decorating with colors, ornaments, bells and paintings on just about anything they posses, including their transportation, the trucks of Afghanistan are the most ornamented of them all.

"Jingle Air is a key logistic enabler, which allows 4th Brigade, Currahee Combat Team to conduct counter-insurgency operations in a area roughly the size of West Virginia," said Maj. Jon Beale of the 801st Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, and Combined Task Force Currahee.

With a fleet of Mi-8 HIP heavy-duty helicopters and five flight teams, Jingle Air can move up to 3.2 million pounds of cargo throughout Afghanistan, said Capt. James E. Fager, officer in charge of transportation and logistical operations for the 801st BSB in Forward Operating Base Sharana, Afghanistan.

"Jingle Air's track record speaks for itself," said Fager, who explained the crew has conducted 20 emergency re-supply missions in conjunction with supporting many areas of operations. Last month alone Jingle Air moved 1.53 million pounds of cargo to troops out in the field and to forward operating bases throughout Afghanistan.

"The pilots of Jingle Air are very motivated to fly and they take a personal interest in making sure the operations go well," Fager said.

Jingle Air pilots hail from different countries and nationalities. Still, they all work together toward a common goal – to ensure the cargo gets to its destination.

"Jingle Air is a force multiplier and it allows us to move much needed supplies and equipment," said Fager.

• Date Taken: 06.22.2008
• Date Posted: 06.22.2008 14:17
• Story ID: 20757
• Location: KHOST, AF