Photo By Staff Sgt. Kelly Willett | Alaska Air National Guard Staff Sgt. Benjamen Hancox, a 176th Logistics Readiness...... read more read more
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Alaska Air National Guard Staff Sgt. Benjamen Hancox, a 176th Logistics Readiness Squadronair transportation craftsman, served as one of five Alaska guardsmen that headed to Antarctica to assist in the execution of Operation Deep Freeze.
Hancox has been a member of the 176th Wing since 2014 when he was a senior in high school, and became a qualified joint inspector in 2022. A joint inspector’s role is to ensure air worthiness of all cargo to include pallets, vehicles, and hazardous material flying aboard Air Force aircraft. Joint inspector’s are also responsible for processing passengers onboard military aircraft. When asked what drove his motivation to join the Guard, he said his father, who served in the 176th LRS as a fuels superintendent, was the main reason.
During Operation Deep Freeze the augmentees of the 176th Wing were the sole hazardous material inspectors on the operation. Once hazardous material arrived it was processed according to Air Force regulations. After that was complete the hazardous material was inspected for accuracy and matched to each form and label. While members of the wing were there, Hancox and two other joint inspectors inspected 226,350 pounds of cargo on 32 separate missions. The cargo itself supported two other National Science Foundation research facilities outside of McMurdo Station (South Pole Station & WAIS Divide).
The 176th LRS air transportation craftsman assigned to Operation Deep Freeze were there to inspect all outbound cargo leaving Mcmurdo Station, Antarctica. Their job was to directly work with civilian hazmat preparers to ensure all cargo was safe and loaded effectively. This cargo was headed for two other stations in Antarctica, South Pole Station and WAIS Divide. These important scientific research stations explore the past in order to preserve the future. The cargo supplied to these austere stations included food, gear, and research supplies for the NSF. All necessary items for the survival of the station’s inhabitants. The 109th Airlift Wing, New York National Guard, supplied the LC-130 Hercules to support the mission deep in Antarctica. The “Skibird” is a specially equipped C-130 built for polar operations.
Hancox has participated in multiple operations over the years including Operation Freedom Sentinel and Operation Inherent Resolve, and now has added one more under his belt of experiences with Operation Deep Freeze. When asked what Operation Deep Freeze meant to him, he states, “Learning about the complexity of providing rapid mobility of cargo and passengers in the world's most austere environment was incredibly interesting. It was definitely a once in a lifetime experience.”
| Date Taken: | 02.08.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 02.09.2023 19:01 |
| Story ID: | 438233 |
| Location: | ALASKA, US |
| Web Views: | 75 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, 176th Wing Airmen Stay Warm During Operation Deep Freeze, by SSgt Kelly Willett, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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