116th Air Control Wing logistics planners: on time, every time

by Tech. Sgt. Julie Parker
116th Air Control Wing Public Affairs

10/20/2014 - ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- Have you ever wondered how military units deploy aircraft, equipment and thousands of people each year, many times on short-notice?

Anyone who has ever deployed knows there is an incredible amount of planning that goes into military operations. That is especially true for the members of 116th Logistics Readiness Squadron Deployment Distribution Flight who are responsible for implementing plans to move people, cargo and military assets downrange.

Short notice or otherwise, the 116th Deployment Distribution Flight plans, processes, and deploys resources 100 percent on time, every time.

Airmen who comprise the flight are a mixture of Georgia Air National Guard and active-duty members, who in 2014 alone processed more than 1,300 Airmen and Soldiers who deployed to forward operation locations around the world with zero discrepancies.

According to Capt. Christopher Swann, the officer in charge of the 116th Air Control Wing deployment section, they are responsible for ensuring the right people and gear make it to the right place at the right time.

"During deployment operations, the flight becomes a deployment control center where the logistics planners are responsible for delegating and monitoring the execution of all things deployment related," said Swann.  "And there is very little room for error."

According to Swann, missing a deadline could mean missing an airlift.

"We ensure the left hand talks to the right and no one gets left out," said Master Sgt. Darrin Srader, a logistics planner with the 461st Air Control Wing.

Logistics planners implement first-hand knowledge of aerospace expeditionary force requirements, current contingency operations, installation deployment readiness and local deployment exercises.

"The job is rewarding and challenging at the same time," said Tech. Sgt. Adam Adair, who has been a full-time Guard member with the 116th Air Control Wing since August 2008.

"Anyone thinking of becoming a logistics planner must be proficient at multi-tasking, have excellent communication skills, and have the ability to learn and adjust quickly to ever-changing processes," said Adair.

"It's their job to think outside the box," added Swann. "Whether the task is deploying a pallet of equipment, a team of people, or a squadron of aircraft, the planners figure out how to get it there with as little airlift support as possible, as soon as possible."

When Airmen and Soldiers return home from deployment, the planners switch gears to the reintegration phase of their job, ensuring all members have the necessary resources for a successful transition.

According to Swann, each deployment presents a different set of challenges, and one of the keys to successful logistics planning is the ability to adapt and overcome.

"At the end of the day, it's about getting things done quickly and efficiently," said Adair.