COMBAT TRUCKERS: Airmen support OIF ground convoy missions

Published April 11, 2008
By Tech. Sgt. Michael O'Connor
386th Air Expeditionary Wing public affairs

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Editor's note: This is the third and last of a three part series titled "Combat Truckers." The series takes a look at how a group of vehicle operators have paved their way into history and their fellow Airmen who make their unique mission happen.

Airmen from the 2T1 vehicle operator career field deployed to the 586th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron take on some of the most dangerous roads in the world every day.

These combat missions have claimed the lives of three Airmen and demand every bit of skill these drivers can muster.

The men and women of the 586th ELRS's 70th and 424th Medium Truck Detachments are constantly on the road delivering the goods to U.S. and coalition ground forces supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom and the Global War on Terrorism.

But there is another team of Airmen within the 586th people don't often see. These Airmen, from nine Air Force Specialty Codes, are behind the scenes filling the support functions that make the ground convoy mission possible.

"It would be impossible to do our mission without all the supplies and personal protective equipment provided to us from the supply troops and the communications folks who help us with counter IED systems and communications throughout the mission to keep everyone in the fight and engaged," said Master Sgt. Scott 'Mr. Clean' Ranson, a 424th MTD convoy commander deployed from Robert Gaylor NCO Academy, Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. "They have a vital role in everything we do, and we treat them like they're one of the team as some of them go out on the road with us."

These unsung heroes supporting the 'Scorpions' of the 70th and 'Centurions' of the 424th work in concert to ensure the tractor trailer trucks, weapons, and other mission-essential gear and information used in Air Force-led convoy operations are ready to hit the road, every time.

"There's a lot of administrative and operational support that goes on behind the scenes to ensure everyone is properly trained and equipped for the missions they're going out on," said Chief Master Sgt. Carl Hunsinger, 386th Air Expeditionary Wing command chief master sergeant and vehicle operator. "They also make sure the in-bound/out-bound Airmen are taken care of from start to finish regarding getting into and out of the deployed theater to make the process as seamless as possible."

This combat-oriented unit, comprised of 364 Airmen serving in-lieu-of their Army brethren, is the only one of its kind in the Air Force. Every six months means 280 missions conducted, 2.52 million gallons of fuel expended, and 700-million pounds of life and mission sustaining materials transported across a landmass equal to New Jersey and twice the size of Idaho combined.

Most of the support work is conducted in one of four areas of the unit: the tactical operations center, the communications office work center, vehicle dispatch operations, or in administrative support.

"The TOC staff interfaces with the Army battalion and put the manifest together for each mission and track it from start to finish ensuring we have constant communications with our teams out on the road," said Tech. Sgt. Terrance Oglesby, a native of Dalton, Ill, working in the 424th MTD's TOC, deployed from Whiteman AFB, Mo. "This is my second [ILO deployment] and it's a rush to be on the road and know everyone's life is in danger and what I'm doing is saving lives."

The staff performs a variety of functions to ensure everyone is prepared to conduct the mission and are recognized for their actions. It's also the hub for receiving and tracking missions, keeping everyone informed, and acting as the liaison between the Army and convoy teams.

"Being in the support role is not the same as being out on the road," said Sergeant Oglesby. "I approach my role from the perspective from when I was on the gun-trucks in 2004. I know how important it is for someone in a support function to do their job as quick as possible to get something fixed and get the convoy moving."

While the TOC is the belly button of the unit, nothing moves without wheels.

"Maintenance has a pretty important role, while on the road when a tire blows or a fan belt snaps, to preventing things from breaking on the road," said Staff Sgt. Tibor Pecsuk, a special purpose vehicle maintainer with the 70th MTD deployed from Charleston AFB, S.C. "It makes me proud to see the vehicles I work on are being used in the war effort and contributing to mission success. The opportunity to be assigned with the Army is a great chance to learn about what they do and how they operate."

Even though their Army counterparts, the 1st Theater Support Command, 640th Sustainment Brigade, 1144th Transportation Battalion, own the vehicles they drive, Sergeant Pecsuk and the Airmen of the 586th operate and maintain the war-weary fleet of 360 trucks used to support the Army's line-haul convoy movements in the region.

"Our mission here is more simplified with the type of vehicles we support and what we do back at home ties in to what we do here as we're able to hone our skills better and quicker," said Sergeant Pecsuk, a six-year veteran from the Slovak Republic who's logged four missions thus far. "Here, we're more respected for our contribution to the mission than at home station, because here, we are the mission."

From flat tires to fuel lines to major repairs, vehicle dispatch operations is primarily responsible for accounting, staging, inspecting, repairing and replenishing anything that keeps the trucks mission ready. This includes driving the maintenance truck during a convoy and providing on-the-spot repairs to a vehicle should it break down.

"It's hard to narrow down and pinpoint on specific support function that helps make all this come together," said Tech. Sgt. Myshante 'Koffee' Walker, a 424th MTD assistant convoy commander deployed from Charleston AFB, S.C. "I appreciate the support functions here ... because we can see how what they do supports the mission."

While having reliable communications and intelligence is crucial to the success of the mission, both Sergeants Ranson and Walker agree that the mechanics are the life savers out on the road. They said these vehicles take a beating on the road and the maintainers are out there before the mission preparing the vehicles and stay up long after they return from the road to get them fixed for the next mission.

Regardless of whether the support elements are equipping the vehicle operators with the necessary mission details, or the equipment and resources to protect themselves, it takes all nine AFSCs working in unison to obtain mission success, every time.

"I used to just look at them [the way I do other career fields] who didn't know their way around a weapon, but after going through the basic combat convoy course and working along side them every day, it's impossible not to respect what they do on a daily basis," said Master Sgt. Joseph Vasquez, NCO in charge of the 70th MTD armory deployed from McGuire AFB, N.J. "Just because they're not wearing a beret doesn't mean their not a Defender - they're out there on the road guarding equipment, vehicles, and people. As far as I'm concerned, they're a Defender."

The vehicle operators of the 586th are a small group of Airmen who carry out a unique mission on the front lines of the battlefield. But it's their fellow Airmen supporting them behind the scenes who help ensure these OIF sustaining missions can be completed.