Airmen of 732nd AMS lifeblood for local, global operations

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Brian Ferguson
  • JBER Public Affairs
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska --  In 1935, William "Billy" Mitchell stated to the U.S. Congress, "I believe that in the future, whoever holds Alaska, will hold the world. I think it is the most strategic place in the world."

Today, there are countless forces from every branch of the U.S. military stationed in Alaska, and from here a Soldier, Sailor, Airman or Marine can get to anywhere in the world within 10 hours.

Among that group of service members is a little-known squadron, part of Air Mobility Command, which has a big impact on the global mission of AMC as well as the local Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson mission, and was recently recognized as the Air Force Small Air Terminal Unit of the Year for 2011.

"We here at the 732nd Air Mobility Squadron realize the importance of this location just as Mitchell did so many years ago," said Master Sgt. Michael Yingling, non-commissioned officer in charge of the 732nd AMS Air Mobility Control Center.

The 732nd AMS is comprised of 255 military and civilians members. Their mission provides forward-deployed command and control, aerial port and aircraft maintenance support to Department of Defense and contracted aircraft, executing airlift and air refueling missions throughout the Pacific theater.

According to Lt. Col. Don Kirkland, 732nd AMS commander, in 2011 the squadron transported 7,845 tons of cargo and 42,849 passengers on 6,677 missions with a 98 percent departure reliability rate. The squadron also supported the Hurricane Irene relief effort, the Japan earthquake assistance effort and the 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division deployment to Afghanistan.

"When the 4-25th deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, we processed 3,851 Soldiers and 286 tons of cargo on 19 missions in 14 days," said Rob Simendich, capability forecasting supervisor. "We also supported Operation Open Skies, Exercise Red Flag Alaska and Exercise Northern Edge."

"It is very important for AMC to have a role here in Alaska," Yingling said. "Without us being here to push and move the mission, load the cargo, provide maintenance and get the planes fueled, the mission would slowly deteriorate. Simply put, we move the mission."

Locally the 732nd AMS supports the 611th Air Support Squadron's long-range radar sites mission with sustainment cargo and passenger travel to and from the sites. These sites were set up in the 1950s to aid in detecting aircraft crossing the North Pole.

The North Warning System consists of 15 long-range radars and 39 short-range radars. The system forms a 2,983 mile long and 199 mile wide "tripwire" stretching from Alaska, through Canada, to Southern Labrador.

In 2011 the squadron supported 946 long range radar site missions, loading and unloading 1,810 tons of cargo. "These site visits are our life-blood," said Vance Spaulding, Tin City radar site station chief and mechanic. "The sites cannot operate without the supplies we get on these missions."

Specific to the 732nd AMS is a squadron run Tanker Airlift Control Center, a function that for every other AMC unit is performed by the TACC located at Scott Air Force Base, Ill.
"Normally, AMC missions are directed from Scott Air Force Base, the home of AMC," Yingling said. "However, if it's a local mission headed to one of the 10 long-range radar sites in Alaska, it is generated, coordinated and executed here. To my knowledge, no other AMC squadron in the world can say they generate their own missions."

The squadron's air mobility control center is the nerve center for all operations. All the information for a mission funnels through the AMCC. Within the AMCC are the maintenance operations center and the air terminal operations center.

The MOC, along with the aircraft maintainers assigned to the 732nd AMS, ensure AMC aircraft are maintained, repaired, serviced and safe to fly. The ATOC is responsible for directing cargo operations, passenger and troop moves, and the servicing of all transient aircraft through JBER. The bridging function for both of these operations centers is the squadron's mission controllers. Controllers are responsible for total mission oversight. Their main purpose is to ensure mission success.

"We utilize a sequence of events to ensure missions are launched on time," Yingling said. "When an AMC aircraft arrives or departs, we orchestrate aircrew support, cargo and passenger movement, aircraft maintenance and aircraft servicing to include fueling the aircraft."

Not only does the squadron load plan every cargo aircraft that takes off from JBER, but their deicer operations have become the Air Force standard.

Ken Culberson, 732 AMS Air Force Engineering and Technical Services, took the lead in developing a new AMC aircraft deicer training video which covers in-depth vehicle familiarization and aircraft deicing procedures, according to Maj. Paul Weme, 732 AMS Aircraft Maintenance Operations Officer. Culberson wrote the script, demonstrated techniques and partnered with 3rd Wing, 176th Wing, and 673d Air Base Wing Public Affairs videographers to film the training.

The 732nd AMS also opens the door for many to travel the world by managing the space-available program. In 2011, the squadron supported the movement of 6,426 space-available passengers traveling to various global military locations.

"Although the 732nd AMS maybe small in numbers and the existence of squadron may be unknown to most people, we make a huge impact by providing support to many critical DoD missions and we are dedicated to ensure the safe movement of global and local AMC missions," Kirkland said.