A RAT helps 493rd EFS get home

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Stephen Linch
  • 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LITHUANIA AIR FORCE AIR BASE, Lithuania --  After completing their NATO Baltic air policing mission rotation, the 493rd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron Airmen only have one thing left to do - get home.

According to Senior Airman Scott Knight, an air transportation journeyman with the 493rd EFS Redeployment Action Team, that is where the 493rd EFS Redeployment Action Team or RAT comes in.

"Our mission is to redeploy the 493rd (EFS) back to Lakenheath," he said, mentioning the team would also help communications and barrier maintenance Airmen get back to their home station of Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

Although the undertaking will require the help of every one of the approximately 50 Airmen still in country to get the Airmen and equipment from Lithuania to RAF Lakenheath, England, the RAT is at the heart of the operation.

"If it can't fit on an F-15, we move it," said 2nd Lt. Angela Ames, 493rd EFS RAT officer in charge.

The six Airmen of the 493rd EFS RAT deployed from the 48th Logistics Readiness Squadron at Lakenheath with the tall order of moving 195 short tons of equipment, consisting of everything from jet engines to wrenches, approximately 1,000 miles across Europe.

"It will take two C-17s, two C-130s and 12 to 15 semi-trucks with trailers to move all the equipment and Airmen that made the 493rd EFS's rotation of Baltic air policing possible to RAF Lakenheath," said Airman Knight.

Although the RAT members can often be found driving forklifts to load aircraft or trailers, filling out customs forms or planning logistics, a large part of the job is coordinating with home station, major command and host nation agencies.

Even with a language barrier, the RAT was very happy with the support received from Lithuanian agencies.

"They have been really helpful," said Lieutenant Ames talking about the support from Lithuanian air force. "If there is an issue, they will say, 'no we really, really can't do that.' You take them at what they say, because they are really busting their butts to help us."

Thanks to the support, the RAT will soon finish getting the Airmen and the equipment home.

"It is great to have those folks here," said Master Sgt. Andrew Van Houten, 493rd EFS first sergeant, maintenance superintendant and project officer. "We need to get home ... and we couldn't do that without (the Airmen from the 48th) LRS."