Building bare bases one pallet at a time

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Michael Matkin
  • 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  There are servicemembers whose jobs seem to catch all the glory and there are those who work behind the scenes to make sure those glorious jobs are able to be performed. 

For the servicemembers assigned to the 1st Expeditionary RED HORSE Group, here, this adage holds true. Their ability to create a forward operating base where once nothing but nature existed puts them in the latter category. A handful of these servicemembers working behind the scenes to ensure FOBs transition from bare base to fully operational bases are assigned to the group's logistics and pallet build-up team.

This team of 11 servicemembers supports all RED HORSE operations downrange by obtaining and shipping equipment that may not be available through palletized equipment air drops.

Since the beginning of April, the team has palletized and out-shipped more than 2.6 million tons of cargo and equipment to 10 forward operating locations throughout the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility in direct support of RED HORSE projects, said Master Sgt. Richard Hovik, 1 ERHG operations superintendent, deployed from Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont., where his is a heavy machinery operator.

"In all of my 22 years of Air Force experience, I have never seen anything as impressive as this team," Sergeant Hovik said. "There are people from multiple bases and professions and we all mesh and work together really well."

This mix of professions is evident in the logistics and pallet build-up team. The team is comprised of three heavy equipment operators, four electricians, two carpenters, one plumber and one heating, ventilation and air conditioning servicemember, Sergeant Hovik said.

"At first it was a challenge figuring out how to work together smoothly and efficiently," said Staff Sgt. Brandon Long, 1 ERHG electrical systems craftsman, deployed from Dover AFB, Del. "However, as time passed, we were able to work the kinks out and discover what worked and what didn't. We do the same work we did five months ago, but now we do it quicker since we don't need to tell each other what needs to be done; we are now twice as productive."

The process of obtaining and palletizing equipment is an extensive and arduous task and, by the time the pallets are ready for transportation, a lot of hours and hard work have gone into it, Sergeant Hovik said.

First, the build sites at the FOBs send the team a list of needed equipment. The team then either purchases it locally or from the continental U.S. Once the required equipment arrives, it is sorted and strategically placed on pallets to conform to weight and balance requirements. The materials are then secured by nets and cargo straps. Once the pallet is built, the necessary information is forwarded to the Traffic Management Office before being transported to the 8th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron Air Terminal Operations Center for shipment downrange via airlift or ship.

Although the process of receiving and shipping the equipment is time consuming and demanding work, the 1 ERHG logistics and pallet build-up team strives to support its customers down range by completing tasks in a timely manner.

On average, it takes the team 30 minutes to build a single pallet. "When we first began our rotation, we were faced with a high-priority mission; we were able to complete 20 pallets in four hours," Sergeant Hovik said. "We couldn't provide this support without the level of selfless professionalism the logistics and pallet build-up team demonstrates on a daily basis."

By providing essential equipment, the efforts of this team have enabled the construction of the new International Security Assistance Force, a $1.2 million United Nations project, headquartered in Afghanistan.

Another project for the team was to get the proper equipment to a construction site in Afghanistan where a helicopter pad was being planned. The finished landing strip now allows helicopters to bring cargo in, instead of having to transport the cargo by convoys. "This project will potentially save lives in the end," Sergeant Long said.

While the logistics and pallet build-up team may not be flying multi-billion dollar aircraft, or consist of engineers using protractors to reshape the AOR, they are an essential cog in the wheel -- they are helping to win the fight, one pallet at a time.