Local media members travel to Transit Center at Manas

by 2nd Lt. Rachelle Smith
92nd Air Refueling Wing

1/9/2014 - Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash. -- From Dec. 10-17, local media near Fairchild Air Force Base were immersed firsthand in a week in the life of a deployed Airman from Fairchild going to the Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan. The purpose of the media embed was to help the local community see exactly what Fairchild crews do every day overseas, as well as discuss some of the impact of the impending closure of Manas in July.

The embed was made up of Whitney Ward, a KREM 2 News reporter, Young Kwak, a journalist from The Pacific Northwest Inlander magazine, and Sagar Pathak, a San Francisco blogger. Ward focused on "Treats -2-Troops" and holiday messages home from Fairchild Airmen. Kwak focused on the stories of deployed Airmen from the Spokane area. Pathak documented aircraft and the overall refueling mission.

The group was given firsthand accounts of what everyday life is like during a deployment by Col. Brian Hill, 92nd Air Refueling Wing vice commander and Chief Master Sgt. Robert Mueller, 92nd Medical Group command chief.

"It's great to have you out there and have our Airmen heard," said Hill. "What we do is amazing, and they are the men and women that drive our mission. Their stories need to be shared here and abroad, so we appreciate you coming out."

On the 9-hour KC-135 Stratotanker flight with two aircrews and various other members deploying or traveling Space-A, the group observed the rules of crew rest and the challenge of trying to get comfortable. Upon reaching Manas, the media team conducted interviews and watched pallets of their luggage and gear get unloaded from the KC-135. The PA team from Manas greeted the group and distributed itineraries of events for the next three days.

First, the members observed, photographed and interviewed a population of approximately 500 Marine, Army and Air Force units leaving combat processing at Manas customs and boarding the return flight home.

"We use Department of Defense, U.S. Central Command, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Department of Health Services regulations to ensure service members aren't bringing anything onto the plane that that could harm anyone," said 1st Lt. Luke Pace, 391st Military Police Battalion Detachment 5.

The media team also went to the 376th Expeditionary Wing Headquarters to meet Col. John Vaughn, 376th AEW vice commander and Chief Master Sgt. Gregory Warren, 376th AEW command chief, for a mission brief and video. They also answered questions about the impending closure of the Transit Center this July.

"We respect our partners over the last 12 years and their aid to us on the War on Terror," said Vaughn. "We'll honor their wishes and depart."

The team came across Pete's Place, a recreational area of the Transit Center at Manas. Pete's Place was named after Peter J. Ganci, a career fire fighter chief that lost his life in the line of duty on September 11th. At Pete's, service members relax, watch TV and enjoy competitive games of bingo, corn hole and table tennis.

The following day, the team experienced an in-theater refueling flight. The media team faced turbulence filled ride, but better understood what crews from Fairchild undergo daily. They experienced a small slice of what it's like to be a part of a mission that offloaded more than 20 million pounds of fuel to over 12,000 combat aircraft in 2012. Over the course of eight hours, eight American aircraft and two Dutch aircraft were refueled during real world contingencies.

"I met those who were deploying for the first time, and some that have been to Manas time and time again," said Kwak. "My mission was simple, document the base and those who keep it running that are far from home and their families."

The final day at TCM was spent delivering care packages compiled by Fairchild and local community members in the "Treats-2-Troops" campaign to deployed members. Boxes were unwrapped, laughs were swapped and each card was read aloud and appreciated. Final media interviews were conducted and holiday greetings exchanged.

"I spent almost 18 hours over Afghanistan seeing the dedication and direct impact these crews have and am impressed," said Pathak. "Those long training flights over the U.S. all come together so that crews can refuel the fight where it counts and when it counts-- no matter what conditions."

The arrival at Fairchild was marked by family members, friends, applause and smiles. Commanders, spouses and kids alike greeted their deployed loved ones with hugs and cheers.

"I appreciate the local media highlighting our Airmen as they 'Fly the hump of the 21st Century' fueling the fight over in Manas," said Col. Brian Newberry, 92nd ARW commander. "Fairchild has been core to Manas' mission since 2005 and telling our story, a story that also includes the extraordinary support from the community, is paramount."