Lifeliners, US Air Force deliver 120 bundles despite snow

Courtesy Photo | U.S. Army Spc. Robert Smallman, parachute rigger with Task Force Lifeliners, inspects a bundle of water that was dropped from a C-17 Globemaster III during a recent container deliver system mission to the remote Forward Operating Base Waza Kwah in eastern Afghanistan Jan. 30. The 101st Sustainment Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, teamed up with the U.S. Air Force to deliver 120 bundles, including 101 bundles of JP8 fuel, to Soldiers of Task Force Currahee, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Abn. Div. (Photo by: U.S. Army Sfc. Pete Mayes)  

PAKTIKA PROVINCE, AFGHANISTAN

01.30.2011

Courtesy Story

Combined Joint Task Force 101

Story by: U.S. Army Sfc. Pete Mayes

PAKTIKA PROVINCE, Afghanistan – The 101st Sustainment Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, and the U.S. Air Force did their best postman impression by battling the elements and delivered 120 bundles, including 101 bundles of JP8 fuel, to a fuel-starved Forward Operating Base Waza Kwah Jan. 30-31.

A planned, record-setting container delivery system aerial drop to the remote FOB in eastern Afghanistan was altered and then threatened for cancellation when a sudden snowfall in the area emerged, hindering the pilots’ ability to see the landing zone.

The CDS drop originally consisted of the bundles being dropped simultaneously from three C-17 Globemaster III aircraft. Due to a last-minute change in plans and the weather, however, the drops were conducted during a two-day span.

Although there were no records set, the mission’s importance was no less significant, said U.S. Army Lt. Col. David J. Preston, commander of the 801st Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Abn. Div.

“The takeaway from this is that these guys rely on this fuel for everything,” said Preston, a native of Belchertown, Mass. “This is their lifeblood and, whatever it takes to get it to them, we’re going to be persistent and get it to them.”

The JP8 fuel is used to power the FOB’s generators and is necessary for heat, communication and force protection for the Soldiers. Preston said there is no way to deliver the fuel to the FOB by ground, so aerial delivery is the only method of available transportation.

Along with the other 19 bundles containing food and potable water, the FOB will have supplies for at least 35 days.

“Twice we’ve come dangerously close to running out of fuel here because of the weather,” he said. “They went to where they could only run certain generators… To keep the force protection going, the heaters might not be running. We want to expand the capacity so that, should the weather drop, we’ll have enough to sustain that capacity.”

The airplane flew in under the snow clouds at about 1,500 feet from the ground during the first CDS drop, allowing the soldiers and members of the Afghan Border Police a fairly close view of the bundles as they descended from the sky.

Once the bundles hit the ground, the soldiers quickly headed to the landing zone to unrig and load the bundles onto their vehicles and return to base.

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Stacy “Mad Max” Maxey, air mobility liaison officer, praised Task Force Lifeliners for the well-bundled supplies that arrived to the FOB with little damage, as well as the collaborative efforts highlighting Army combat logistics and air power.

“The survivability of these bundles were amazing. They were well-rigged, well-loaded, and well-configured for the air drop,” he said. “Murphy’s [law] always on duty and sometimes weather can be your worst enemy in these situations.”

Maxey, a Pontotoc, Miss., native, said the drop validates the combat support given to the war fighter on the ground. “What this means is that we can give supplies any time and any place, regardless of the environmental or combat situation.”

U.S. Army Spc. Robert Smallman, a TF Lifeliners parachute rigger, is assigned to Task Force Currahee where he advises his company on the proper rigging procedures. He was at the drop site to analyze how well the drop itself went and assist in determining malfunctions in rigging of the bundles.

“Most of the chutes opened well,” said Smallman, native of Chino, Calif. “I’d say about a good 85 percent were successful, and that’s a pretty good ratio.”

Smallman said he helps train the 801st BSB riggers, showing them what they’ve done correctly or not, and helping them determine what size pallets to use for any specific aerial drops.

Though there are times when aerial drop missions have been cut due to weather but that was not the case for this particular mission. “Oh no, this is fuel. This is sort of a necessity,” he said.

• Date Taken: 01.30.2011
• Date Posted: 02.01.2011 06:35
• Story ID: 64583
• Location: PAKTIKA PROVINCE, AF