Photo By Staff Sgt. Lauren D Douglas | School and medical supplies are loaded onto a C-130H in support of the Denton...... read more read more
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by Staff Sgt. Lauren Douglas 94th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
DOBBINS AIR RESERVE BASE, Ga. -- From Dec. 1-3, 2025, U.S. Air Force Reserve Airmen from the 94th Airlift Wing at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Ga., participated in a humanitarian mission to transport essential supplies from Missouri to Honduras.
The mission is part of the Denton Humanitarian Airlift Program, which stems from the Denton Amendment, a U.S. Code established in 1987, which allows the Secretary of War to transport supplies, on a space-available basis, which have been furnished by U.S. nongovernmental organizations and are intended for assistance, to developing nations. To qualify, the supplies must align with U.S. foreign policy, be suitable for humanitarian purposes, address a legitimate need and have adequate distribution arrangements in place. The supply donations for this mission were coordinated by Ralph McClurg, a U.S. Army veteran who currently serves the community near Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo. As a helicopter pilot, McClurg flew many missions throughout his career where his team served by building roads, schools and medical clinics where needed. McClurg’s experience in the Army allowed him to experience other nations firsthand, interact with children and adults living abroad, and better understand their needs, which he felt privileged to help with. Today, he makes requests for donations via social media, personal contacts and other methods with the aim of providing as many supplies as possible to nations and people in need.
Although DHAP allows for humanitarian cargo donations to many nations, Honduras is at the heart of McClurg’s philanthropy.
"I made a trip to Honduras with the U.S. Army in the mid-80s and saw extreme poverty and need, which led me to establish a network to provide humanitarian aid,” said McClurg. “I've had the opportunity to coordinate eight Denton shipments to Honduras and have also sent aid to El Salvador, with a focus on medical equipment, school supplies and other essential items.”
The mission was particularly advantageous to the 94th Airlift Wing, as it provided Airmen with a valuable training opportunity, enabling aircrews to operate in dynamic conditions beyond routine training flight requirements. The Airmen who participated in the DHAP movement strengthened mission readiness, sharpened their tactical proficiencies and reinforced a warrior ethos through hands-on experience in mission planning, coordination and execution.
“Our Reserve unit is proud to have the privilege to be part of exercises like this one,” said Capt. Patrick Dyson, 700th Airlift Squadron navigator. “Humanitarian aid is a good investment and shows that the military can be used for more than just delivering equipment for warfighting.”
Supporting this and similar missions provides Airmen with hands-on training that not only reinforces readiness requirements, but expands proficiency and expertise within their respective career fields. By operating in real-world conditions that are aligned with deployment environments, participants not only sharpen technical skills and mission effectiveness, they allow Airmen to see tangible results of their efforts and gain a stronger sense of purpose.
“Participating in missions like this feels meaningful to my time in service,” said Tech. Sgt. Derek Stidwell, 94th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief. “Having real hands-on experience to transport donated supplies and coordinate with other Airmen is great training and provides a lower pressure environment than deployment conditions.”
The Denton program is jointly administered by key agencies including the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, U.S. Transportation Command, the Department of State, and the relevant Combatant Command under the Department of War.With the movement of donated supplies occurring on a space-available basis, specific procedures and conditions must be met so that the U.S. Transportation Command can contract official movement of the cargo. The transportation process to get relief supplies moved involves designating shipments as "Deferred Air Freight," which is a specific, low-level, prioritization bracket that the Defense Transportation System uses to move cargo. After the prioritization process is complete, USTRANSCOM then coordinates with the U.S. Departments of State and War to determine how and when cargo transport will occur.
“[Once in Honduras] the items are distributed by a team to local government clinics, schools, and communities through local congregations and government officials,” said McClurg. “The Denton program makes an enormous difference in the lives of people, and I'm grateful to be able to spend most of my time helping others in need." The cargo shipment also underpins the 94th Airlift Wing’s mission to provide tactical airlift and supporting capabilities to the joint community.
“We would absolutely want to participate in more humanitarian efforts in the future,” said Dyson. “Not only are missions like this good for delivering aid, they also give valuable training to our Airmen. We get more experience working different terrains and environments, collaboration opportunities with supporting agencies and a chance to work through challenges in a calmer environment than we would experience while deployed.”
Ultimately, missions like DHAP highlight how operational training and real-world execution intersect to build a more capable, mission-ready Reserve force. The experience gained reinforces both individual proficiency, as well as the 94th AW’s role as a force advantage to deliver reliable, strategic airlift at speed and scale.
| Date Taken: | 12.09.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 04.30.2026 14:35 |
| Story ID: | 564015 |
| Location: | MARIETTA, GEORGIA, US |
| Web Views: | 12 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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