Photo By Staff Sgt. Oscar Toscano | Staff Sgt. John T. Renfro, exchanges information with the Tactical Control Tower...... read more read more
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CAMP HUMPHREYS, Republic of Korea – U.S. Army Air Traffic Controllers from Foxtrot Company, 3-2 General Support Aviation Battalion, 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division ROK/US Combined Division set up their operating systems for incoming helicopters on Camp Stanley, Republic of Korea, 15 Feb. 2022.
With eight years of experience, Staff Sgt. John T. Renfro is entrusted as the non-commissioned officer in charge of the brigade’s mobile tower operating systems which allow him and his soldiers to communicate with incoming and outgoing aircraft.
“We are the brigade's Air Traffic Controllers,” said Renfro. “We are in charge of all communications with the pilots to help get them from where they are currently at to where they want to go.”
Renfro and his team have two separate systems at their disposal: The Tactical Tower Control System, installed inside a four-wheeled tactical vehicle, and the Mobile Tower System that uses a larger, heavier truck to move around the battlefield.
“The TTCS is a temporary tower that arrives at an unmanned or abandoned airfield to establish initial communication between us and the pilots,” said Renfro. “It is meant for expeditious use and will stay in position until the MTS arrives.”
“The MTS arrives to relieve the TTCS as a more permanent tower,” Renfro said. “We set up all outer support attachments and exchange information with the TTCS operators to continue communication with the aircraft.”
The initial set up of air traffic communications is established by Sgt. Polinar Inocencio, the non-commissioned officer in charge of the TTCS. The team arrives at a landing zone for incoming and outgoing flights, setting up the Local Controller and Flight Data positions.
“Two crew members occupy these positions at all times,'' said Inocencio. “The Local Controller handles all radio communications, while personnel on Flight Data assists with air traffic and logging flight information.”
“The importance of my job is crucial to the mission,” said Inocencio. “Once we arrive at our location, we set up our TTCS and contact the pilots to get them on and off ground safely.”
The Aviation Brigade conducts many flight operations all over the Republic of Korea. Inocencio ensures he, his team and equipment are able to provide proper support for mission success.
“I enjoy my job because my team and I make sure we get the pilots back on ground safely,” Inocencio said. “I feel a lot of people don’t realize the importance of air traffic controllers, without us, our pilots will have a hard time maintaining safe flight operations.”
Throughout Renfro’s years in the military he has conducted many missions and supported countless pilots.
“This job holds a tremendous amount of responsibility and I am proud of being able to do my job confidently,” Renfro said. “I am an Air Traffic Controller, we are the guides for our eyes in the sky.”
| Date Taken: | 02.15.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 02.23.2022 04:49 |
| Story ID: | 415096 |
| Location: | CAMP HUMPHREYS, GYEONGGIDO [KYONGGI-DO], KR |
| Web Views: | 174 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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15Q Air Traffic Control Operator
