102nd Public Affairs Deachment

Story by Sgt. Charles Brice

By Army Sgt. Charles Brice
102nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

FORWARD OPERATING BASE SALERNO, Afghanistan – Imagine standing in the back of a turbo-prop cargo airliner, with a nervously rumbling stomach while holding on to a few pallets of supplies which would soon be dropped to Soldiers out in an isolated region of eastern Afghanistan. The flight doors begin to open and imagine seeing a different view of the country below, while simultaneously the pilot performs jaw-dropping maneuvers through the mountain valleys of Afghanistan.

According to the 'speedball' aircrew, this is what it feels like when a person steps into their world – the realm of Low Cost, Low Altitude Aerial Delivery Services. The operations can re-supply platoon-sized units during missions when the means of normal sustainment delivery are impossible due to the factors of mission, enemy, terrain, troops, time available and civilian concerns.

"The outcome of the mission is to save lives and to get the Soldiers what they need," said John Hazzard, a contracted civilian loadmaster.

Before any mission begins, the aircrew is briefed by the 801st Brigade Support Battalion plans and operation section on weather, terrain and enemy threats.

During flight to the drop zone, the jumpmasters will verify the loads are properly hooked to the anchor line cable and prepared for delivery. As the aircraft approaches the drop zone, the jumpmaster team positions the bundles to be dropped by pushing them onto the ramp of the aircraft. Two members then hold the bundles in place while the other two prepare to push the loads, while the pilots maneuver into position.

In the mean time, the loadmaster keeps track of the pilots calling out 30- and 10-second warnings and then "execute." Upon the command of execute, the jumpmaster team pushes the rear bundle along the roller system out of the plane. Once the supplies are dropped, the pilots egress out of the valley.

"It's a wild ride for the best cause, supporting the Soldiers," said Army Sgt. Michael A. Ivey, Company C, 801st BSB, who is also a combat medic. "It's really a good way to get supplies to remote areas of the country, so that Soldiers aren't exposed to the hazards of the roads."

This delivery system was designed to work in the favor of the troops who need supplies that aren't readily available through normal means of distribution, said Lt. Col. Michael Peterman, 782nd BSB, Combined Joint Task Force Fury commander. Peterman originally put the LCLA services in place.

"If you have never seen LCLA firsthand, you would not understand the true disposable nature of this system," said Peterman.

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