618th Air Operations Center at Scott Air Force Base plays key role in humanitarian repatriation missions
On Dec. 6, 2018, six Marines perished in a crash after a KC-130J and an F/A 18 collided, while refueling midair, off the coast of Japan.
Six months after the crash, on June 7, the search was concluded after locating items from the crash and recovering human remains. Aiding human repatriations is a critical mission set mobility air forces are well positioned, equipped and committed to supporting whenever called upon.
In this instance, the 618th Air Operations Center received a short notice request to transport the Salvage Recovery Package from Travis Air Force Base, California, to Kadena Air Base, Japan, to assist ongoing efforts by U.S. Navy salvage recovery operations. The package totaled 221 short tons, included deep-sea search and recovery equipment and specialized outsized equipment had not been airlifted prior.
“Where a move of this type and complexity may have taken months, the actions of the 60th Aerial Port Squadron members and our 618th AOC Global Channel Directorate System Director “Bookies” decreased the move time to less than nine days” stated Randy Finney, Division Chief, Global Distribution Channel Operations.
After thorough coordination with airlift engineers from Air Force Material Command’s Air Transportability Test Loading Activity at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, the 60th APS obtained two approval certifications for the specialized loads.
618th AOC Bookies sourced and planned the cargo on two C-5 Galaxy’s and one C-17 Globemaster III from the 60th Air Mobility Wing in addition to two commercial 747’s prepositioned and transported the cargo through its longest leg of the journey to Kadena AB. They downloaded from the aircraft by the 733rd Air Mobility Squadron for onward movement onto to a salvage recovery ship. Search and recovery efforts continued for another week and a half.
Just a few weeks later, human remains were recovered and began the journey to their final resting place. The return mission movement of the remains to the U.S. was sourced and coordinated by 618th AOC Global Channel Aerial Port Control Center who performs this mission as a special part of their daily operations, and is tasked to find the most expeditious routing and airlift available, and coordinates with all relevant parties from the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Office, to the receiving aerial port at Dover AFB. Their coordination culminated in the arrival of the family members’ at Dover, the dignified transfer and ceremony of the recovered remains.
In support of this humanitarian repatriation mission the 618 AOC enabled the movement of the Salvage recovery package within an expedited timeline.
“Our thoughts and prayers remain with the families and all those who loved our fallen Warriors,” said U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Thomas D. Weidley, former commanding general of 1st Marine Aircraft Wing. “I am extremely grateful for the professionalism, dedication, and support of those who brought our Marines home.”