Air mobility liaison officers in the fight

Photo By Staff Sgt. Stephany Richards | U.S. Air Force Maj. Ryan Schenk, senior air mobility liaison officer in Afghanistan, watches for an U.S. Air National Guard C-130H Hercules aircraft from alongside the landing zone at Forward Operating Base Farah in Western Afghanistan, Oct. 19, 2013. The AMLOs were called in to operate the landing zone and help close the FOB. They are the air mobility link between the Air Force and its sister services. "I think that AMLOs are critical to the fight, especially with going through the retrograde and trying to get out of this country," he said.  

FORWARD OPERATING BASE FARAH, AFGHANISTAN

10.17.2013

Story by Staff Sgt. Stephany Richards 

United States Air Forces Central     

FOB FARAH, Afghanistan - In the midst of the Department of Defense’s retrograde process at Forward Operating Base Farah in western Afghanistan, air mobility liaison officers are called in to operate the landing zone to help close the FOB, Oct. 17, 2013.

“When I got to Farah there were 77 pallets and a handful of rolling stock that needed to come off of the FOB,” said Maj. Brian Cruz, Regional Command South AMLO. “My goal and my mission out here is to make sure those numbers get to zero.”

Air mobility liaison officers are the Air Mobility link between the Air Force and its’ sister services. “We like to think of ourselves as translators.” Maj. Ryan Schenk, Senior AMLO in Afghanistan said.
Air mobility liaison officers are also the liaison when there are issues moving cargo and passengers around. “We are there to train, advise and assist any strategic movements of cargo or passengers,” Cruz said.

Farah has a transfer date in early November 2013. “We are at FOB Farah because the U.S. is transferring ownership of the base to Afghanistan,” said Schenk.

While at Farah, the AMLOs are the liaison to the Navy, Allied Tactical Operations Center and the Air Mobility Division to make sure that everything flows the way it needs to.

“I have the ability to pick up the phone and call whoever I need, because it gets the mission done quicker and it’s better for everyone,” Schenk said. “While they are concentrating on getting stuff packed up, we are more worried about getting the aircraft in and out and getting the stuff actually moved off the FOB.”

The implementation of AMLO’s has been instrumental to Provincial Reconstruction Team Farah during the retrograde and base transfer process.

“We have an incredible amount of work left to do before we transfer the FOB in November,” said Lt. Chad Dulac, PRT public affairs officer. “It has been a blessing to have Maj. Cruz and Schenk as professional air mobility personnel to handle the intricacies of our air transport logistics.” Part of the AMLOs job is also to fill the gaps and to make sure the airfield continues to operate.

“I will be giving advisories to every aircraft that comes in here. With the tower and weather [management personnel] going away I pick up their functions as an advisory,” Cruz said. “So just like this FOB started, this FOB will end with one guy holding a radio and a wind meter.”

While at Farah the AMLOs will also look at efficiency and effectiveness of the air mobility process.

“We’ll try to find better ways to do things in order to facilitate the movements,” Schenk said. “The AMLOs are critical to the fight, especially with going through the retrograde and trying to get out of this country. The amount of information and capabilities that we have given has really stopped a lot of problems.”

Formerly managed by U.S. Army tower personnel, FOB Farah’s tower supplied all communications and equipment necessary to conduct fixed wing and rotary wing operations. As 2- 244th Air Field Operations Battalion departed Oct. 20, the FOB had been without rudimentary landing zone amenities.

“This FOB has a good example of an austere landing zone. There is literally nothing out here,” Cruz said. “Because there is no equipment out here, no radio communication or anything that applies to a landing zone, we carry everything with us.”
AMLO’s mission however while deployed is different than their mission back home.

“At home we are more worried about getting people out of town, getting them on the airplanes and making sure everything is in the computer the way it needs to be,” said Schenk. “Here we take on more of a tactical type role and make sure the cargo flows smoothly.”

In true joint military form, the Air Force, Navy and Army have come together on a common mission of transition, retrograde and security in Farah. As more bases across Afghanistan are transferred or close, the importance of qualified, mobile and ready AMLO’s will increase to meet the need of packing up and getting everyone home.

• Date Taken: 10.17.2013
• Date Posted: 10.25.2013 00:33
• Story ID: 115709
• Location: FORWARD OPERATING BASE FARAH, AF