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86 OSS: No rest for the wicked... wicked good

Photo By Senior Airman Jared Lovett | A pilot assigned to the 480th Fighter Squadron at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany,...... read more read more

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE , RHEINLAND-PFALZ, GERMANY

02.01.2022

Courtesy Story

86th Airlift Wing

If Ramstein Air Base is the Gateway to the Globe, then the 86th Operations Support Squadron would be the gatekeepers. As the name suggests, the 86 OSS supports all airfield and flight operations in their area of responsibility. In this article we will highlight the many dynamic units within the 86 OSS and how they support the mission.

An Air Force base wouldn’t be much without an airfield, and Airfield Operations Managers are the caretakers of it. As a unit that operates 24/7, they do much more than foreign object debris checks and manage the airfield driving program. Key responsibilities include coordinating parking for aircraft, filing flight plans, tracking all flights in and out of Ramstein and maintaining airfield pavement, markings and lights. Airfield Management plays a critical role, as the airfield itself could not operate without them. During Operation Allies Welcome, Airfield Management shouldered the enormous task of coordinating pod locations, movement of aircraft, vehicles and personnel. According to Staff Sgt. Russel Valentine, 86 OSS airfield management operations supervisor, all the pods decreased Ramstein’s available aircraft parking to 40% capacity, and with tens of thousands of evacuees, support personnel and equipment comes a lot of trash that can potentially damage aircraft. Therefore they needed all hands on deck to maintain safe and efficient operations.

Just upstairs from Airfield Management we have the weather flight. The weather flight in the 86 OSS is charged with maintaining a 24/7 watchful eye on the Kaiserslautern Military Community to provide protection against the elements for aircraft, the base, and the personnel associated. Throughout the day, the weather team will analyze layers of the atmosphere from top-down, macro scale to micro scale, to determine the weather threats of the day. The team then creates multiple forecasts for different customers which are used across the globe for planning, mission execution, an outlook on the week and safety. They support each flying unit on Ramstein, the 37th and 76th Airlift Squadrons, as well as the 86th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron. Working in tandem with Intelligence, they provide mission forecasts that are instrumental in preparing pilots for operating conditions. Master Sgt. Michael Farley, 86 OSS weather flight chief, tells us that the weather flight supervises resource protection for all aircraft and personnel. Due to constantly changing weather in this part of Germany, their job is never done, and it is no wonder they won U.S. Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa Weather Organization of the Year in 2021.

When you think of Air Traffic Control, you might imagine the person outside the plane with a reflective vest and glowing batons directing the aircraft for taxi. Nothing could be further from the truth. Air traffic controllers are responsible for the movement of aircraft and vehicles on the ground, and all aircraft operating in the airspace surrounding Ramstein. Controllers mainly come in two versions, tower and radar, with a small number of dual-rated personnel. Tower maintains direct visual control of the airfield, to include aircraft, personnel and vehicles, with approximately 50 cubic miles of airspace. Imagine an opera conductor artfully choreographing a musical number. Tower controllers do much the same, as they maintain situational awareness of all movement and orchestrate the safe and efficient arrival and departure of aircraft. According to Staff Sgt. Derek Shafer, 86 OSS ATC watch supervisor, this job is made more challenging with dual runways and a complex airfield.

If tower is an art form, radar is very much a science. Numerous regulations, calculations and equipment go into maintaining aircraft separation and coordination with other agencies such as tower and German ATC centers. Staff Sgt. Toni Dow, 86 OSS air traffic control watch supervisor, explains that with a significantly larger area of responsibility, approximately 705 cubic miles, radar controllers must sequence arrivals and departures, as well as separate from restricted and adjacent airspace and other aircraft a minimum of 1,000 feet vertically and 3 miles laterally. In the event the radar fails, they are trained in non-radar procedures, using altitude separation and timing over fixes and holding patterns. The Ground Controlled Approach facility was instrumental in managing the influx of hundreds of flights carrying evacuees during OAW. Working hand-in-hand with the tower and Airfield Management, flights were timed in 90 minute increments to ensure aircraft off-load, refueling and departure procedures would not interfere with each other. So every time you see a plane in the sky, know that they are always in direct communication with ATC, their in-flight guardians.

Pilots know that an airfield isn’t just a runway. In order for them to take off and land safely a lot of technology and equipment comes into play. Someone has to maintain that equipment to ensure optimal operations. That brings us to Radar Airfield Weather Systems, or RAWS. They’re entrusted with safeguarding and maintaining all the systems that allow Airfield Management, Weather, ATC and pilots to operate. In order to navigate to the airfield, pilots require navigational aids such as Tactical Air Navigation, which is like an electromagnetic lighthouse. Air traffic controllers use radar to assist them getting established on an approach course. The Instrument Landing System shoots out a radio beam aligned with the runway that gives pilots distance and glide path. Once in the tower’s control, they get a landing clearance over radio frequencies and use the airfield lighting and weather readouts to make a safe landing. As you can see, RAWS maintenance supports each and every operational unit. Airman 1st Class James Travis, 86 OSS RAWS apprentice, and Tech. Sgt. Christopher Kenny, 86 OSS RAWS craftsman, explained that Ramstein is unique in that it has the only Category III ILS in USAFE. Due to the poor weather conditions this time of year, the CAT III ILS gives such accurate information that pilots never have to see the runway to land, even in the darkest and foggiest conditions. Hence why this system is the same one used by the space shuttle and NASA.

The 86 OSS doesn’t stop with just the airfield. Many other units support the pilots directly while still on the ground. Aircrew Flight Equipment is in charge of maintaining their gear. Senior Airman Alicia Wallace, 86 OSS aircrew flight equipment journeyman, describes how they are responsible for inspection, repair, assembly and disassembly of parachutes, harnesses, survival gear, helmets, masks, night vision goggles and even aircrew chemical gear. They work in conjunction with aircrews at the 37 and 76 AS and the 86 AES to support locally assigned aircraft; C-37, C-21, and C-130Js. The first stop after mission briefings is AFE to gear up, and the first stop after landing is AFE for gear turn-in.

Additionally, the 86 OSS hosts a survival, evasion, resistance and escape unit. They are responsible for educating and training pilots in the event they must survive in an austere environment, evade enemy forces, resist if captured and/or escape while maintaining their honor as a U.S. service member. Staff Sgt. John Lynch, 86 OSS SERE craftsman, explains how SERE members accomplish this through education on the Code of Conduct, coordination with the aquatics center for water survival training, aircrew for parachute training, and security forces and munitions for combat/urban survival training. The SERE unit is frequently looking for volunteers to aid in water survival training and play the roles of aggressors or opposing forces during combat/urban survival training. It’s a great experience for members and an excellent bullet for Enlisted Performance Reports.

A new addition is Aerospace Physiology, which formerly fell under Bioenvironmental. They also educate, train and evaluate aircrew members and serve as human factor consultants in the event of an aircraft mishap. Capt. Vikas Kumar, 86 OSS wing aerospace physiology chief, discussed the importance of the training with a lesson and demonstration. Aircraft above 10,000 feet must be pressurized for the safety and comfort of crew and passengers. If there is a loss of pressure, oxygen levels decrease, leading to confusion, reduced reaction time, shortness of breath, sweating and changes in skin color, to name a few. Aircrew must train on hypoxia familiarization once they enter the career field and again every five years. To assist with that, physiologists use a simulator designed to replicate flying conditions. The system allows for control of gas mixtures to decrease the amount of oxygen available until members experience symptoms associated with hypoxia. This allows members to recognize symptoms and respond appropriately.

As you can see, the 86 OSS is a multifaceted and dynamically capable unit. Each flight’s focus is on airborne mission execution, and each supports the other in that aspect. Whether working directly with pilots, educating and training, or maintaining the technology and equipment that allows aircrews to operate, every member understands how important their role is. With such a large and complex airfield, 24/7 operations and evolving world events, members are dedicated to the safety of aircrew and aircraft as well as executing a mosaic of mission requirements. The 86 OSS motto embodies that ideology, because at Ramstein “Ops never Stop!”