435th CRG conducts cargo operations in Romania

CONSTANTA, Romania — Airmen from the 435th Contingency Response Group conducted aerial port and command and control of operations in Constanta, Romania, Feb. 15 to March 10, supporting deployment and redeployment of personnel and unit equipment to and from Operation Enduring Freedom.

Establishing port operations in Romania allows personnel and cargo to change transportation methods part way through the movement, providing flexibility and more cost-effective options for U.S. Central Command deployments.

“This operation allows us to keep military aircraft closer to the area of responsibility and transition passengers to commercially contracted airlift when military airlift is no longer required,” said Lt. Col. Peter Janyska, contingency response element commander. “We can also transition cargo movements to surface transportation, which is generally far less expensive than using airlift for the entire movement.”

The overall operation was a joint endeavor involving forces from Air Mobility Command, U.S. Air Forces in Europe and U.S. Army Europe, as well as support from the host nation, Romania. In total, the operation moved 660 short tons of cargo and 2,664 passengers during the monthlong mission.

Aerial port operations fell to members of the mobile aerial port flight of the 435th Air Mobility Squadron.

“One team does everything rather than having separate teams for (the Air Terminal Operations Center) and ramp,” said Tech. Sgt. Canard Drayton II, air mobility flight supervisor. “We work to use the minimum people for the maximum job so we get it done.”

The operations at Constanta were a special opportunity for some of the 435th AMS members.

“We had a chance to get our new folks some great on the job training,” Drayton said. “You can read about it and study it, but there’s no substitute for (hands-on training).”

For the men and women of the 435th, this was indeed a unique opportunity to stand up and stand down expeditionary aerial port operations at a location, including tracking aircraft and cargo requirements and extensive coordination with ground forces to handle and support service members on the ground.

Staff Sgt. Melvyn Thompson, contingency C2 operations NCO, provided the command and control expertise during the operation and helped with the flow of information.

“Our role is to funnel information, getting the right information to the right people on time, giving them enough time to react,” he said. “Working directly with joint and multinational forces is something I don’t get to see often.”

The information flow synchronized aerial port, ground transportation and life support assets, and allowed USAREUR to provide support for each group of passengers that arrived and departed. This included processing them in, providing life support and out-processing, all in synch with the airlift flow.

Janyska said the members of the 435th CRG pride themselves on providing a robust, customized capability with a minimal footprint. The unit’s motto, “Light, lean, lethal,” is also their way of doing business.

“This entire operation is about finding a more efficient way to move forces into and out of theater,” he said. “Keeping our footprint light is a big part of that.”