JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Citizen Airmen with the 81st Aerial Port Squadron honed their skills with a KC-46a Pegasus and its aircrew from Seymour Johnson, North Carolina during a Unit Training Assembly March 1 at Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina.
The Charleston Reservists joined forces with the 77th Air Refueling Squadron’s KC-46a aircrew, from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, to exercise aerial logistics skills from load-planning the new aircraft to processing service equipment for rapid deployment capability.
Master Sgt. Michael Gwendo, the aerial port exercise coordinator for the 81st Aerial Port Squadron, expressed enthusiasm about the training.
“It’s exciting to train on the new KC-46, which triples cargo space to 65,000 pounds from the KC-135. We seamlessly transitioned to joining forces with our naval cargo mission partners, loading and unloading C-17 rolling stock, all in one weekend.”
This diverse training regimen ensures mission flexibility for Airmen, enabling them to rapidly and efficiently transport combat-ready forces, as well as handle humanitarian aid and warfighting cargo.
Master Sgt. Brian Greer, a KC-46 boom operator with the 77ARS, extolled the capabilities of the new aircraft.
“The KC-46 is newer, sleeker, and sexier.”
Equipped with 3D cameras, fly-by-wire technology, computerized touch screens, and advanced countermeasures, the KC-46 provides cutting-edge training for 315AW Airmen. “Partnering with Charleston is the best way to meet our quarterly requirements for all boom operators on the new KC-46 to load actual cargo in the aircraft, as opposed to our cargo simulators,” added Greer.
“In the future, we can be closer to the fight than ever,” emphasized Greer.
Following their work on the KC-46, the 81st APS aerial porters seamlessly transitioned to collaborating with Reserve cargo handlers of the Navy Cargo Handling Battalion-11 from Jacksonville, Florida.