Joint Base Andrews senior NCO, Annapolis native, leads deployed air terminal operations center in Southwest Asia

Photo By Master Sgt. Jenifer Calhoun | Master Sgt. Robert Weatherly, superintendent of the 380th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron's Air Terminal Operations Center, works in his operations area at a non-disclosed base in Southwest Asia on May 19. Weatherly is deployed from the 89th Aerial Port Squadron at Joint Base Andrews, Md., and his hometown is Annapolis, Md.  

(UNDISCLOSED LOCATION)

06.17.2010

Story by Senior Airman Jenifer Calhoun 

380th Air Expeditionary Wing

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Every day at a non-disclosed base here, Master Sgt. Robert Weatherly might direct his troops to do a cargo off-load from a C-17 Globemaster III or coordinate the movement of troops to a forward deployed location. If you ask him, his team is always busy doing something.

As the superintendent of the 380th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron's Air Terminal Operations Center, Weatherly leads a team of air transportation Airmen, or aerial porters, who are all deployed from Joint Base Andrews, Md., and manage all aerial port operations for the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing -- a deployed wing of more than 1,900 personnel.

Weatherly and his fellow aerial porters are deployed from the 89th Aerial Port Squadron at Joint Base Andrews.

"The team I have here is comprised of folks from my very own home station," Weatherly said. "Andrews has volunteered to accept this location as our full-time 'home away from home.'"

Weatherly is also a career aerial porter, having achieved the nine-skill level as an air transportation superintendent. Air transportation Airmen like Weatherly are trained to be able to move cargo, passengers, or both on a moment's notice. Each air transportation Airman deployed to the ATOC, including Weatherly, has to maintain a myriad of skills and job knowledge.

According to the official Air Force job description for the air transportation career field, they must maintain mandatory job knowledge in passenger and cargo movement functions to include transport aircraft types, capabilities, and configuration. They must also know weight and balance factors, airlift transportation directives and documentation, cargo securing techniques, border clearance requirements, operation of materials handling and other types of loading equipment or devices, fleet service functions.

Weatherly's deployed unit ensures the safe and efficient upload and download of cargo and personnel on all organic and contracted aircraft to the base. To do the heavy lifting, they use specific material handling equipment such as forklifts capable of lifting upwards of 10,000 pounds of cargo and aircraft cargo loaders which are capable of holding pallets and cargo weighing up to 25,000 and 60,000 pounds. The loaders, when filled with cargo, are driven out to the aircraft, the deck is raised hydraulically, and powered rollers on the loader push the cargo on board the plane.

In directing air transportation activities, aerial porters like Weatherly supplement policies and direct supervisory personnel to provide cargo and passenger loading and unloading services. He is trained to establish procedures for passenger and aircraft clearance through international border clearance agencies and to inspect airlift activities for compliance with directives, the job description states.

"Being deployed presents an opportunity to get back to '2T2 basics' of handling cargo, loading grey tails, moving passengers and just making it happen for the warfighter," Weatherly said. "Versatility here is requirement number one -- you may be loading passengers and bags on a commercial rotator one minute and pulling a KC-10 engine off a K-loader the next. That fact is not lost on these folks. Every day presents a unique and difficult challenge, but myself and my troops live for it."

Weatherly is also trained to verify eligibility of cargo and mail offered for airlift and to review passenger travel authorizations for validity and accuracy. He also ensures all cargo documentation, packaging, labeling and marking requirements, and all border clearance requirements have been met. He provides information on schedules, routes, air movement requirements, baggage limitations and local facilities for passengers and requisitions, stores and issues expendable and nonexpendable items for use on aircraft.

Aerial porters like Powers can check in passengers and process, schedule, transport and escort passengers to and from aircraft. They determine quantity and type of cargo to be loaded according to allowable aircraft cabin load and they check cargo against manifests, and annotate overage, shortage or damage.

"It's well documented that one of the great strengths of our Air Force is its ability to project forces globally in minimal time," Weatherly said. "Aerial porters play an important role in that force projection."

In joining the military, Weatherly said he is continuing a family tradition.

"My family has a strong military background," said Weatherly, whose hometown is Annapolis, Md. "I am third generation Air Force. We also have all served at Andrews in the 89th and its previous incarnations. I knew pretty much from the day I realized I could have a career that it would be in the military. I grew up in it and with it, and I wouldn't want it any other way.

"I know that every day I serve and continue to serve that I not only do my family proud but this great country as well," Weatherly said. "I know every day I do my job well it has a real impact to one of my brothers or sisters in arms."

The 380th ELRS is a sub-unit of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing. The wing is home to the KC-10 Extender, U-2 Dragonlady E-3 Sentry and RQ-4 Global Hawk aircraft. The wing is comprised of five groups and 18 squadrons and the wing's deployed mission includes air refueling, air battle management, surveillance, and reconnaissance in support of overseas contingency operations in Southwest Asia. The 380th AEW supports operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom and the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa.

• Date Taken: 06.17.2010
• Date Posted: 06.17.2010 02:54
• Story ID: 51515
• Location: (UNDISCLOSED LOCATION)