Mobility machine keeps mission moving

by Staff Sgt. Cody H. Ramirez
374th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

5/14/2014 - YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan -- Dark clouds roll over the land bringing rain that falls like curtains from the sky and gusts of wind that flip semi-trucks; these symptoms of a typhoon can leave the stricken area overwhelmed with the destruction left behind and the local people in need of immediate relief.

In the Pacific region, the 374th Airlift Wing often provides that relief, which is one reason why the wing practiced their professional airlift capabilities during a week-long Samurai Readiness Inspection here May 12-16.

The inspection allowed Col. Mark August, 374 AW commander, to test his Wing on its readiness and capability to accomplish mission priorities. In this case, the main target was humanitarian aid and disaster relief, although dozens of events and evaluations took place.

The 374th Logistical Readiness Squadron practiced the planning, moving and loading of cargo typically sent with teams of maintainers, operators and support personnel during real-world operations.

"Everything we do during these readiness inspections is preparation for things we do during actual operations," said Senior Master Sgt. Chasity Erickson, 374 LRS superintendent of the deployment and distribution flight. "All the support equipment that forward deploys during operations is handled by us. We work hand-in-hand with Aircraft Mobility Command and the Yokota terminal to ensure personnel and cargo are transported."

A majority of the members at Yokota have experience with providing professional airlift in the Pacific region, but these inspections allow Airmen to practice and refine their skills while also teaching less-experienced Airmen around them how contingencies can play out.

Airman 1st Class Joseph Hommema, 374 LRS traffic management journeyman, said the inspections allowed opportunities for unexperienced Airmen to prepare for possible real-world scenarios.

"Augmentees that normally don't deal with cargo train alongside us throughout the readiness inspections," Hommema said. "These Airmen come from units throughout Yokota and learn how to move cargo so when something goes down real-world we have the manning and are prepared to provide assistance."

Large teams of augmentees helps when handling cargo for a C-130H Hercules that can airdrop loads up to 42, 000 pounds.

SRIs are Yokota's local version of the Air Force's new Commander's Inspection Program, a cost-friendly route of training and testing Airmen on their mission effectiveness and readiness. The program allows commanders to focus on practical, everyday mission readiness rather than inspection readiness. Yokota conducts inspections throughout the year to ensure the base is prepared to provide regional airlift when called upon.