Mildenhall staff sergeant, Danville native, coordinates fuels operations support for Southwest Asia AR, ISR wing

Photo By Master Sgt. Jenifer Calhoun | Staff Sgt. Christion House communicates over the radio with a fuels truck driver while working in the fuels service center of the 380th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron fuels manangement flight at a non-disclosed base in Southwest Asia on Feb. 1. House is a fuels distribution craftsman and a fuels service controller for the second largest fuels operations in the world for the Air Force at the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing. The flight is responsible for all grades of jet fuel, ground fuel and cryogenics for the wing. He is deployed from the 100th Logistics Readiness Squadron at RAF Mildenhall, England, and his hometown is Danville, Ky.  

(UNDISCLOSED LOCATION)

02.25.2010

Story by Senior Airman Jenifer Calhoun 

380th Air Expeditionary Wing

SOUTHWEST ASIA -- In 2009, controllers in the fuels service center of the 380th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron fuels management helped coordinate the pumping of 188,040,711 gallons of fuel to 9,557 aircraft. For the year, that's an average flow of more than 515,000 gallons of fuel a day and one of the reasons why controller Staff Sgt. Christion House says, "we're busy."

House is a fuels distribution craftsman and a fuels service controller for the second largest fuels operations in the world for the Air Force at the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing. The flight is responsible for all grades of jet fuel, ground fuel and cryogenics for the wing. He is deployed from the 100th Logistics Readiness Squadron at RAF Mildenhall, England.

"In my deployed duties in the fuels service center, we are the central communication center for all fuel operations for the wing," said House, whose hometown is Danville, Ky. "From the time jet fuel leaves the tank truck to it entering the aircraft, and all fuel transfers to our fixed storage facilities, we coordinate it all."

To meet the demand for fuel, House works with his fellow 44 fuels Airmen who work 24 hours a day meeting steady, daily taskings. The flight's operations tempo stays high because of the amount of fuel they distribute. For example, fuels Airmen manage the off-load of up to 60 fuel tank trucks a day which equates to just under 600,000 gallons a day.

"Having fuel in a deployed location is one of the most important resources in the military," House said. "Without fuel, aircraft cannot secure our air superiority for the troops on the ground and have the vehicles needed to patrol and secure our bases. Without fuel, nothing runs or flies."

To be able to be where he is, in the "heartbeat" of deployed fuels ops, and to experience Southwest Asia, House said there is no better place.

"I love what I do," said House, whose been in the Air Force for more than six and a half years . "I get to travel the world, get out of my comfort zone and experience new cultures and lifestyles. Everywhere that I go I have the privilege to meet and work with very interesting people and be an ambassador for my country."

Whenever a KC-10 Extender, RQ-4 Global Hawk, U-2 Dragonlady, E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System, or any other airplane or vehicle needs feel at his deployed location, House said he will be there to do his part to get it to them.

"We have a great team here along with a great mission," House said. "The fuel operation we manage here affects the mission all across the deployed areas and I'm proud to be a part of it."

The 380th AEW is comprised of four groups and 12 squadrons and the wing's deployed mission includes air refueling, surveillance and reconnaissance in support of overseas contingency operations in Southwest Asia. The wing supports operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom and the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa.

• Date Taken: 02.25.2010
• Date Posted: 02.25.2010 23:57
• Story ID: 45867
• Location: (UNDISCLOSED LOCATION)