Annual tour like no other

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Charlie Miller
  • 445th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE ANDREWS, MD. --  The 41st Aerial Port Squadron, part of the 403rd Wing here, deployed 14 Airmen to Joint Base Andrews, Md., and took over port operations for two weeks June 6 to June 17, 2010 with 37 airmen from the 87th APS, 445th Airlift Wing, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.

The Reservists were responsible for running the Air Terminal Operations Center, cargo processing, ramp, fleet, passenger services, passport processing and administrative duties performed by the 89th APS, the active duty port at Andrews.

"It's really total force training," said Lt. Col. Dale Reed, 89th APS commander. "We are building a relationship with the 41st and the 87th. They are finding that our mission here at Andrews is unique to any other aerial port in the Air Force."

The Special Air Missions section is the highest profile section in the passenger terminal. With Andrews' close proximity to Washington D.C., U.S and world leaders fly in and out of this base on a daily basis, and it is SAM PAX who greets arriving aircraft and sends off departing ones. A two- or three-airman team in dress blues approaches each aircraft and renders salutes to the dignitaries.

"It's not uncommon to see the president, the first lady, the vice president or Secretary Clinton," said Senior Master Sgt. Helen Redwine-Smith, 87th APS, who served as superintendant of passenger services for the annual tour.

While the passenger terminal is the main focus of operations for the APS at Andrews, it's not the usual passenger processing mission. True, there are hundreds of passengers arriving and departing daily, but SAM PAX, located jut a few feet from the ticket counter, garners the spotlight, according to Colonel Reed.

"This is the first time we have had reservists work with SAM PAX," he said. "The mission is very, very, very high visibility."

"There have been no issues, no training gaps," said Colonel Reed. "No one was not ready, not prepared." The colonel noted that many of his airmen were taking required classes, enjoying time with their families or are on leave.

Senior Master Sgt. Aaron Legier lead the team from the 41st.

"We do have passengers at Keesler, but not like this," Sergeant Legier said. "This has been an excellent annual tour for our folks. Because we work at an AETC wing we don't have access to the normal active duty standard operating procedures seen at an Air Mobility Command base."

For a few of the 41st and 87th members, this was their first annual tour since joining the military. Airman 1st Class Jazmin Magee, one of the first timers, was just lucky enough to be assigned to SAM PAX on June 14, the day President Obama returned to Andrews on Air Force One. While the Secret Service does not let SAM PAX stand at the steps of the presidential plane, Airman Magee did get within 100 feet of Air Force One and Mr. Obama awhere she rendered a salute to the arriving commander-in-chief.

"I'm really loving it," the airman said with a huge smile. "I'm getting to experience and learn something new everyday. I'm glad I chose this career field."

"The Reservisits are very motivated, very helpful and their work is much, much appreciated," said Senior Airman Melanie Pritzkau, 89th APS, who was part of a skeleton crew of active-duty airmen from the 89th.

"It's full hands-on; we're pretty much letting them run the port by themselves," Airman Pritzkau said. "They want to learn, they're open to learning and if they don't know something they ask questions. They are very proactive. It would be nice to keep them; I wouldn't mind, they are a lot of fun to work with."

According to the airman, it's been a very busy early summer for the 89th. This is the most popular time of the year for airmen to take leave so having the 41st and 87th here gives the active duty the chance to enjoy a well deserved vacation. And it gives the APS members a chance to shine while tackling a very important real-world mission.

Another airman on their first annual tour working with passengers is Staff Sgt. Brandon Chain.

"I've really enjoyed working with the customers at the ticket counter," he said.  While working with SAM PAX one day, he helped provide DV security for the president of Gabon and also the Secretary of the Army, which is an assignment not many APS members receive and something rarely seen outside Andrews.

A number of the reservists were assigned to work areas other than the passenger terminal. The ramp, cargo, hazardous materials, supply and fleet sections were combined due to the main workload being aircraft passengers there. Normally, they are separate functional work areas.

"In the first week alone, I worked on 12 different types of planes and a helicopter," said Senior Airman Matthew White, 87th APS.

Many of the 41st members said doing annual tour at Andrews was an educational experience due to its unique mission and visibility to the world.