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Team Charleston members joined forces with mobility units across the Air Force to accomplish multiple airlift missions over the last few months, sending humanitarian aid to multiple countries in need around the world.
These efforts are sponsored by the Denton Humanitarian Airlift Program and are intended to establish and improve local fire protection and emergency services in rural areas, supply schools and medical facilities with the appropriate equipment and assist families in need in the receiving areas.
While these shipments originate from various bases across the country, it is not uncommon for them to pass through Joint Base Charleston.
“Historically, Charleston has been a hub for U.S. Southern Command destinations for at least two decades,” said Jim Bailey, United States Transportation Command Denton humanitarian airlift program facilitator. “We are very appreciative that Joint Base Charleston supports us.”
Since its establishment in 1987, the Denton Program has operated alongside the U.S. government to provide global humanitarian relief. The program eliminates transportation costs making international aid efforts financially possible.
The shipments move on a space-available basis aboard U.S. military aircraft already scheduled for missions, turning unused cargo space into a vehicle for life-saving assistance.
The Denton Program also serves as an opportunity for Airmen at Joint Base Charleston to load cargo uncommon in their day to day missions.
“This program gives us a chance to process and load different cargo,” said Senior Airman Josephus Tolbert, 437th Aerial Port Squadron air transportation technician. “There are lots of technicalities that go into getting it ready, loaded and shipped out. It helps with training, for sure.”
If a scheduled mission has unused cargo space, and meets all requirements, that extra space will be used to transport goods to the requesting country so military operations are able to proceed uninterrupted while delivering humanitarian aid. All U.S. government transportation-related costs are covered, making the program financially accessible to organizations of all sizes.
“They have to go through a certain application process to be vetted by US TRANSCOM to ensure that the beneficiaries are truly in need of humanitarian aid,” said Bailey. “Once it’s approved, then we’ll reach out for the best time to airlift.”
Shipments must weigh a minimum of 2,000 pounds and a maximum of 100,000 pounds, often including food, medical and educational supplies, clothing, furniture, farm equipment and more.
Over the decades, the Denton Program has supported many shipments of aid to countries in need, including those recovering from natural disasters, conflict or long-term poverty.
“The nature of the mission is really geared towards providing much needed support that adds heart to what we do,” said Tolbert. “It shows another side to what we're capable of.”
| Date Taken: | 01.26.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 01.26.2026 10:16 |
| Story ID: | 556747 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 18 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Joint Base Charleston serves as hub for Denton Humanitarian Airlift missions, by SrA Regan Enriquez, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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