380th Air Expeditionary Wing

Story by Senior Airman Stephen Linch

President Obama's vision for a greener Department of Defense became a reality at the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing in Southwest Asia Oct. 26, 2009.

When Maj. Michael Horsey, 380th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron, handed the keys of a new staff vehicle to Brig. Gen. Bryan Benson, 380th Air Expeditionary Wing commander, the 380th AEW became the first wing under Air Force Central Command and the first unit in the area of responsibility to move to a greener fleet.

"We have officially become the first wing under AFCENT to convert to a vehicle fleet that complies with President Obama's Department of Defense directive to become more energy efficient with our fleet," Horsey said.

Following directives from the secretary of the Air Force and the secretary of defense, the 380th ELRS replaced 22 vehicles with smaller, more gas efficient models following criteria ensuring the vehicles were less than 5,200 pounds and had a 3.0 liter engine or smaller.

According to Senior Master Sgt. Troy Saunders, the vehicle fleet manager for the 380th Logistics Readiness Squadron, this not only shows the tax payers that the military is handling their money responsibly, but is dedicated to greening their fleet.

"It doesn't seem like a lot, because we are only changing out 22 vehicles," Saunders said. " But if you change out vehicles at every base in the United States, across the AOR and all other major commands, now you are talking about saving a significant amount of fuel."

Saunders elaborated saying, "The advantage of that is huge - Not only as a public perception for the tax payers' money, but also for the overall green, that the military, the DOD, the federal government is aiming for."

"The fact that we are the first unit to skinny down to the Air Force standard is appropriate," Benson said. "The 380th AEW leads the way."

The 380th AEW provides intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and aerial refueling in support of Operations Enduring Freedom, Operations Iraqi Freedom, and Combined Joint Task Force Horn of Africa.

Control Panel