Building better bundles

Photo By Senior Airman Natalie Doan | Airmen assigned to the 374th Logistics Readiness Squadron's Combat Mobility Flight, and soldiers from the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, build bundles in the CMF warehouse in support of exercise Airborne 2023 at Yokota Air Base, Japan, Jan. 25, 2023. This is the first time the CMF and JGSDF have built bundles together in support of an Airborne exercise. Exercises like these enhance the U.S. and Japan’s ability to work alongside one another during real-world operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Natalie Doan)  

JAPAN

01.25.2023

Story by Airman 1st Class Brooklyn Golightly 

374th Airlift Wing

YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan— The 374th Logistics Readiness Squadron and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force held the first joint bundle build in preparation for Airborne 23, Jan. 25, 2023, at Yokota Air Base, Japan.

The bundles simulated cargo, which consisted of fuel, water, food, and different types of ammunition, to directly support JGSDF operations on the ground. This cooperative bundle building event optimizes mission effectiveness through the sharing of information, enabling the utilization of the combined forces full potential.

“I felt that the number one challenge is flexibility and adaptability according to the situation.” said 2nd Lt. Hiroyuki Kouso, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, 1st Airborne Brigade, parachute rigger. “Airborne 23 allows us to practice with the support of the U.S. military's air transport aircraft.”

Through this annual operation, members from the JGSDF, 1st Airborne Brigade, demonstrate their capability to employ large-scale airborne insertion anywhere.

“Airborne 23 is an opportunity,” said Tech. Sgt. Cassandra Benson, 374th LRS section chief. “We get to integrate with our Japanese counterparts and learn better ways forward by incorporating best practices from both nations into building the bundles.”

In previous years, this exercise had the U.S. Air Force and JGSDF create drop bundles separately. This year, the JSGDF and the Combat Mobility Flight came together to assemble and inspect 100 Containerized Delivery System bundles.

“It's amazing because we have our own technical orders that we go through to pack the parachutes,” said Airman 1st Class Izaiah Dillion, 374th LRS CMF parachute rigger. “The JGSDF also has a way that they go through their procedures. There are different techniques that we can learn from one another to make the building more efficient.”

By increasing the extension of Yokota’s support for this JGSDF large-force insertion, both nations were able to assemble the 100 bundles on-site over the course of two days.

• Date Taken: 01.25.2023
• Date Posted: 01.30.2023 22:10
• Story ID: 437485
• Location: JP