Sea Bound

WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. - Airmen from the 509th Logistics Readiness Squadron load pallets of Los Angeles class submarine batteries into position before securing them in the cargo hold on a DC-8 cargo jet, Dec. 4. The batteries were headed to Guam to aid a nuclear powered submarine the USS Frank Cable is tending to.(U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Carlin Leslie)(Released)

Sea Bound

WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. - Airmen of the 509th Logistics Readiness Squadron push pallets of Los Angeles class submarine batteries to the back of a DC-8 cargo aircraft, Dec. 4. The loading process ran about 2 hours after the aircraft landed here. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Carlin Leslie)(Released)

Sea Bound

WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. - Airmen from the 509th Logistics Readiness Squadron push pallets of Los Angeles class submarine batteries to the back of a DC-8 cargo jet, Dec. 4. The loading process took nearly two hours after the aircraft landed here. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Carlin Leslie)(Released)

AFGSC assists Navy in powering mission

Published Dec. 8, 2010
By Airman 1st Class Cody H. Ramirez
509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs

WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. -- Members of the 509th and 131st Logistic Readiness Squadrons loaded more than $30 million of Los Angeles class submarine batteries on DC-8 cargo aircraft here, Dec. 4 and 6 in support of Naval operations in the Pacific.

Air Force Global Strike Command officials received a call requesting batteries for the fast attack boats Dec. 3.

"I was impressed with the initiative and dedication demonstrated by the LRS team who promptly coordinated this $30 million shipment of Navy submarine batteries on such short notice," said Lt. Col. Trace Steyaert, 509th LRS commander. "Our team worked around the clock to build these airworthy pallets of critical Navy submarine assets and ensured safe loading aboard two transport aircraft to meet their departure times ... job well done!"

The 509th LRS small air terminal, logistics planners and vehicle operators worked together to honor the request.

"From the go, this was a joint operation," said 1st Lt. Stefan Hafner, 509th LRS deployment and distribution flight deputy commander. "We were contacted by mission validators from the Navy asking if we could make it happen - obviously the answer was 'yes'."

Lieutenant Hafner said they pulled together squadron resources and gathered the needed manpower to get the ball rolling. Vehicle operators moved the batteries from a local business in Warrensburg, Mo., one of the sole companies with a naval submarine battery contract, to Whiteman Air Force Base. The small air terminal palletized and loaded the aircraft while the logistics plans office oversaw the operation to ensure everything went smoothly.

"It was great to see an operation pulled off so smoothly in such a short time," Lieutenant Hafner added. "Everyone involved noticed the significance of this effort and came together to get it done."

The operation brought together the local community, active duty, Guard and the U.S. Navy to palletize and ship the 65 crates of batteries.

"We support the bomber mission everyday, and now we had the chance to help out our sister service," Lieutenant Hafner said. "We no longer live in an Air Force where we're cut off from our sister services. We support each other and we're focused on delivering joint solutions for our nation."