PoAF partnership gets the mission done

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Alexandra Trobe
  • 65th Air Base Group Public Affairs
LAJES FIELD, Azores, Portugal --  Members of the 65th Air Base Group and the Portuguese Air Force worked hand in hand with the U.S. Embassy in Lisbon and European Command to ensure a U.S. Army Tennessee National Guard pallet located at Lajes Field, Azores, Portugal was expeditiously sent to the correct location in mainland Portugal to support Exercise Trident Juncture 15 on Oct. 19, 2015.

"Getting the equipment our Army National Guard teammates needed at the right place and right time to continue their training was truly a total force, multinational effort", said Maj. Allen Husted, 65th Logistics Readiness Squadron Commander. "The support we received from our Portuguese counterparts has been incredible, without them this effort would not have been possible."

Jorge Areias, 721st Aerial Port Squadron Operating Location Alpha local national employee, was the first to identify that a pallet mistakenly coded for Lajes Field, Azores, Portugal needed to be sent to Lisbon, Portugal to support the 168th Military Police Battalion of the U.S. Army Tennessee National Guard. 

"We realized we had two courses of action at that point," said Master Sgt. Eric Brooks 721st APS-OLA. "We could return to the shipment to the originator in the U.S., which we knew could not in turn deliver the shipment in time to be used for the exercise, or we could request the Portuguese Air Force's help in delivering this shipment to Lisbon."

The Portuguese Air Force with close coordination from the 721st APS-OLA, 65th LRS, and 65th Air Base Group political affairs advisor agreed to load and carry the pallet to Lisbon on their C-295 aircraft to deliver vitally needed support to the 168th MP BN.

Two Airmen from the 65th LRS were selected to travel with the pallet to Lisbon and ensure the cargo is delivered to the appropriate customer. Senior Airman Paul Ofori-Asenso, 65th LRS outbound cargo supervisor, and Senior Airman Sacia Finklea, 65th LRS outbound cargo supervisor, were selected for this courier mission.

"Our job is to ensure that the shipment goes where it is supposed to," said Finklea.

Starting when the couriers signed responsibility for the shipment at Lajes Field and until it is delivered in Lisbon, it is their responsibility to maintain visual contact and accountability for the property.

"This partnership with the Portuguese to get this shipment to Lisbon has been a huge success," said Brooks. "In over 9 years of being associated with Lajes Field, I have never heard of a transportation partnership like this before. Without the support of the Portuguese Air Force we would not have gotten the mission done here today."

With over 36,000 military personnel from more than 30 nations participating, Exercise Trident Juncture 15 is designed to train and enhance the ability of NATO military forces and partners to deploy in any direction to meet present and future security challenges.