Exercise Kiwi Flag provides Pacific partners platform to enhance aerial deliveries [Image 3 of 30]

OHAKEA, NEW ZEALAND

11.14.2013

Photo by Senior Master Sgt. Denise Johnson 

Pacific Air Forces

United States Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Paul Koester (left) discusses compass heading and wind direction with New Zealand Army Private Hamish Summers as they prepare to walk-off an 800 by 1,200-yard drop-zone area Nov. 14 at the New Zealand Defence Force Raumi Drop Zone near Ohakea, New Zealand. The group is setting the stage for a tactical cargo drop in support of Exercise Kiwi Flag. Kiwi Flag is a multilateral RNZAF-sponsored tactical airlift exercise comprising air assets from the U.S. Air Force, RNZAF, Royal Australian Air Force, Republic Of Singapore Armed Forces and French Armed Forces of New Caledonia. The trio joined more than 20 other multinational service members from the exercise on a subject-matter-expert exchange to enhance interoperability in combined air-drop operations. The team has nearly two hours to mark out the drop zone before a RSAF C-130 Hercules is scheduled to fly by at approximately 900 feet above ground level to drop palleted cargo to the crew below. Koester is deployed as the 517th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron jumpmaster. He is the pararescue functional manager at home station, Pacific Air Forces Headquarters at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. He hails from Colorado Springs, Colo. Summers is from the 51st Aerial Delivery Platoon, 5th Movements Company, 2nd Combat Services Support Battalion out of Linton Military Camp in Palmerston North, New Zealand. Kiwi Flag personnel are supporting Exercise Southern Katipo - held on New Zealand's South Island - by managing air operations and providing cargo and passenger airlift including tactical air drops to SK participants. SK hosts nine countries involved in air, land and maritime operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Master Sgt. Denise Johnson/Released)

• Date Taken: 11.14.2013
• Date Posted: 11.22.2013 20:08
• Photo ID: 1058957
• VIRIN: 131114-F-FB147-699
• Resolution: 3216x2136
• Size: 954.34 KB
• Location: OHAKEA, NZ
• Hometown: COLORADO SPRINGS, CO, US