Photo By Staff Sgt. Alancea Grant | U.S. Air National Guard Airmen of the 130th Airlift Wing, converse near a C-130 J-30...... read more read more
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Over fifty members of the West Virginia Air National Guard’s 130th Airlift Wing supported European Allies from Sept 3 to Sept 27, 2024, as part of the latest Silver Arrow mission, operating out of Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
The Silver Arrow program is administered by the U.S. Air Forces in Europe, which has provided funding and mission requirements since 2017 to “Deter and Defend”. “Deter and Defend” is ultimately designed to ensure our alliance remains strong, our citizens safe, and our values secure. The Silver Arrow program builds readiness and validates C-130 elements throughout the European Theater and supports to the European Deterrence Initiative. The EDI includes Eastern flank presence, U.S. training, and engagements with Allies and European partners. Forward locations enable collective defense capabilities. The United States European Command lives, trains, and fights with the Allies and partners from bases in Europe that are critical for timely and coordinated response when needed. This latest Silver Arrow mission saw the 130 AW directly support their Ramstein-based active duty counterparts, the 86th Airlift Wing, and their aeromedical evacuation squadron.
“The role back home is to be “Ready to Go” at all times and this is just one avenue of maintaining readiness,” explained Air National Guard Capt. Steven Golden, the Wing Detachment Commander. “Silver Arrow presents a unique opportunity for maintainers, ground personnel, and aircrews. Maintaining proficiency in their job, craft, and environment, specifically for aircrews flying around Europe, is much different than flying back home.”
The 130th Airlift Wing deployed two C-130 J-30 Super Hercules aircraft to support Silver Arrow, executing 20 sorties that hauled more than 38 tons of cargo. The team was composed of members from the 130th Operations Group, 130th Maintenance Group, and 130th Mission Support Group to support NATO’s enduring aim to safeguard the security of our one billion citizens, and to defend our shared values: democracy, freedom, and the international rules that promote peace and prevent war.
“Coming here, you can see us do things that have a big impact and see that we’re able to do these things well”, said Air National Guard Staff Sgt Haylee Swafford, Material Management Journeyman with the 130th Airlift Wing. “At home, I plug in the information and then I’m done. Here, I’ve been gathering the information, ordering the parts, finding the parts and distributing the parts. I’ve become a lot more involved in the process of gathering the assets for this mission. That’s been a huge takeaway for me is getting to see how big of an impact I can make, not just at home.”
The 130th Airlift Wing provided supplemental flights to the 86th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron during Silver Arrow through commitment of preserving mutual commitment, support, and trust as we judiciously use resource for dynamic operational commitments and evolving strategic challenges. The 86th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron had 57 aircrew fly, completed over 550 annual training requirements and moved eight patients during this rotation. Air Force Maj. Amanda Peterson, Training Flight Commander at the 86 AES, mentioned that due to the supplemental flights provided to the squadron, it was very beneficial for students and new flyers to see a mission from beginning to end without any of the different interjects.
“The 130th has been truly fantastic. They ask, what do you need, how can we help you, can we play a role in the training? We don’t fly a ton of large body aircraft out here because our primary mission is typically on the C-21. There are training items that we can’t do on the small C-21 that we need a large body like the C-130”, said Peterson. She mentioned how the Airmen from the 130th were eager to provide support in multiple ways for the 86th to accomplish their tasks and mission from being mental health patients to having an IV. She mentioned that having dedicated flights to Aeromedical Evacuation from Silver Arrow has been extremely beneficial to her team.
The U.S. is dedicated to our security commitments to the NATO Alliance and our global partners,” said Col. Bryan W. Preece,” 130th Airlift Wing commander. “This mission allowed West Virginia’s own 130 AW to contribute to NATO’s enduring mission of safeguarding the security of one billion people. Working together with our Ramstein partners, our Airmen ensured the Alliance remains strong, our citizens safe and our values secure.”
| Date Taken: | 10.09.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 11.02.2024 08:27 |
| Story ID: | 484517 |
| Location: | RAMSTEIN-MIESENBACH, RHEINLAND-PFALZ, DE |
| Web Views: | 62 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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