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Taking flight--Airdrop pioneer delivers

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Shane Ellis
  • 315th AW Public Affairs
CHARLESTON, S.C. --  "I entered basic training with the desire to be a loadmaster and travel the world," said Johnny. "The flight doctor said that would not be possible. A hole was discovered in my eardrum."

Johnny's dream of flying was shattered, and he considered not moving forward with a career in the United States Air Force, he said.

After much thought and consideration, Johnny decided to stay in the Air Force and began his career as a services specialist at Lowry Air Force Base, CO. After three years of active duty service, and two surgeries to repair the hole in his eardrum, he decided to transition to the Air Force Reserve through the Palace Chase program.

With his eardrum repaired, Johnny passed the flight physical required to be a loadmaster. Today, Master Sgt. Johnny F. Bartosh, C-17 examiner loadmaster with the 315th Airlift Wing at Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., is known as a C-17 Globemaster III airdrop pioneer, said Senior Master Sgt. Dean Carter, loadmaster supervisor for the 315 AW.

His journey to become a loadmaster began when he arrived at Charleston AFB through the Palace Chase program. After a two month wait, he started loadmaster school at Sheppard AFB, Texas and attended additional training at Altus AFB, OK. Upon completion of his technical schools, he returned to Charleston and began his study as a loadmaster on the C-141 Starlifter.

"I had three years on the C-141 when I was activated to serve in the Gulf War," said Sergeant Bartosh. "Every mission has its good side, and I learned a lot going on those missions."

In 1992 he had the opportunity to go back to school at Altus AFB to become an airdrop qualified loadmaster for the C-141. During that time there was a lot of talk about the C-17 coming to Charleston AFB, said Sergeant Bartosh. Even with all the hype of a new aircraft coming to the base, there was also a lot of skepticism going around about the C-17.

"People would say things like 'the plane won't last, it won't make it,' and that's just a sample of some the talk that was going around," he said.

Sergeant Bartosh said that even with all of the skepticism going around, two things were certain: The C-17 was coming to Charleston AFB, and the base was looking to build the first C-17 Reserve squadron here.

After much deliberation Sergeant Bartosh made the leap to help pioneer the C-17 at Charleston AFB and was one of only 12 initial loadmasters assigned to the newly created 317th Airlift Squadron.

On July 14, 1993 the first C-17 production model touched down at Charleston AFB, and the 317 Airlift Squadron was coined the first C-17 Air Force Reserve squadron.

Recalling the first time he stepped inside the aircraft, Sergeant Bartosh said he couldn't believe how big it was and how loadmaster friendly it appeared.

"Little did I know that this aircraft would become a loadmasters dream and make our job a lot more efficient," said Sergeant Bartosh.

"When we started flying the C-17, we were basically testing the aircraft," said Sergeant Bartosh. "We experienced the good and the bad, and we had to work through many issues to help form the C-17 into the aircraft it is today."

Already airdrop qualified on another aircraft, Sergeant Bartsoh became airdrop qualified on the C-17 in the spring of 1994. He considered it an honor to be one of the first C-17 Reserve loadmasters to hold that qualification, he said.

According to Sergeant Bartosh, the airdrop capabilities of the C-17 are what make it one of the most resourceful cargo planes in the world, and the C-17 skeptics quickly changed their minds once they saw everything it was capable of doing, he said.

"It doesn't hurt that the aircraft is completely self-containing and can be configured at a moments notice for passengers, medical transport or any mission it is tasked to complete," said Sergeant Bartosh.

Sergeant Bartosh recently celebrated the 16 year anniversary of his initial qualification on the aircraft, and he has basically participated in every evolution of airdrop the C-17 has been through, said Sergeant Carter.

To date, Sergeant Bartosh has logged over 7,600 flying hours, and more than 5,000 of those hours have been logged in the C-17.

"Being a loadmaster is often referred to as a young man's job," said Sergeant Carter. "Many airdrop changes have taken place over the years. Those changes are things you must stay on top of to be proficient, and Johnny has stayed on top of those changes."

Looking back at his Air Force beginning, Sergeant Bartosh said he is amazed how everything fell into place. He didn't throw in the towel, he became a loadmaster, and he helped pioneer the airdrop capabilities of one of the most highly sought after aircraft in the world.

"I love my job," said Sergeant Bartosh." "The Air Force has been good to me, and I'm happy I have been able to make a contribution to the airdrop capabilities of such a fine aircraft."

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