FIRST CHRISTMAS TOGETHER — Airmen 1st Class Christopher and Heather Otis exchange gifts Christmas morning at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. This is their first Christmas as husband and wife. Both are crew chiefs deployed to the 379th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron from McGuire Air Force Base, N.J. U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. John E. Lasky
First Lt. Adam Reynolds (front) and Master Sgt. Shawn Alexander stack a pallet with boxes of wheelchairs at Ganci Air Base, Kyrgyzstan. The first 50 of 1,000 donated wheelchairs are bound for disabled people in Afghanistan. Reynolds is the base's air terminal flight commander and Alexander is the Air Terminal Operations Center superintendent. (Photo by Senior Airman Ashley Center)
People from the 376th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron at Ganci Air Base, Kyrgyzstan, prepare to load pallets of wheelchairs and supplies on board a Spanish air force C-130. The donated wheelchairs are for people in Afghanistan. (Photo by Senior Airman Ashley Center)
Forces delivering wheelchairs to Afghanistan
by 2nd Lt. Warren Comer
376th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
12/26/02 - OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM (AFPN) -- The first 50 of 1,000 donated wheelchairs bound for disabled people in Afghanistan were delivered to Ganci Air Base, Kyrgyzstan, as part of an ongoing humanitarian project.
Baisal Limited, a wheelchair manufacturer in nearby Bishkek, assembled the wheelchairs and then delivered them to coalition hands in mid-December. Venture International, a nonprofit organization in Arizona, funded the project.
A Spanish air force C-130 left Ganci AB on Dec. 19 to deliver the first 50 wheelchairs to Bagram, Afghanistan.
"This is indeed a monumental effort," said Brig. Gen. Jared P. Kennish, commander of the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing here. "We're honored to play a part in helping the people of Afghanistan."
U.S. members of the coalition team here took part in receiving and preparing the wheelchairs for the first of several expected humanitarian airlift missions.
Airmen from Ganci's Air Terminal Operations Center and the aerial port flight configured the cargo for transport aboard the coalition aircraft.
"This is an exciting time for us. We really don't do this often at our home station," said 1st Lt. Adam Reynolds, aerial port flight commander.
"Here, we've been asked to load food, supplies, and even the wheelchairs to support humanitarian efforts in Afghanistan," he said.
Coalition aircraft will deliver the remaining wheelchairs in increments of about 50 until the project is completed.
"Bringing the wheelchairs to the disabled people of Afghanistan is just a small part of what this wing can accomplish," said Kennish.
"We're away from home and away from our families, but it's always a good feeling when we do something like this for other people," said the operation center's Tech. Sgt. Christopher Addleman.
"We were a foot deep in snow, but we knew we were helping someone," he added.
Protecting the nation
COMBAT AIR PATROLS --An F-15 Eagle from Langley Air Force Base, Va., is refueled by a KC-10A Extender from McGuire AFB, N.J., as part of combat air patrols over the nation Christmas day. (Photo by Kenn Mann)
Moving day
OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM -- Senior Airman Charles Dean, a structural jouneyman assigned to the 321st Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, removes nails on a tent floor at a forward-deployed location in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Tents are being broken-down and shipped to another area. Dean is deployed from Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Tony R. Tolley)
This is a test
DOBBINS AIR RESERVE BASE, Ga. (AFPN) -- The first Air Force C-5 Galaxy featuring new avionics upgrades takes off from here on its maiden flight Dec. 21. The upgrades include flight displays, a navigation system, and installation of the Terrain Awareness and Warning System and the Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System. The improvement package is the first phase in a $13 billion modernization program that officials believe will keep the C-5 flying through 2040. (Courtesy photo)
Job well-done
OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM-- Comedian Drew Carey gave a thumbs up out the window of a KC-135 Stratotanker during his visit to a forward-operating location in support of Operation Enduring Freedom on Christmas day. Carey met with troops, signed autographs and entertained Navy and Air Force members at the enlisted club. (Photo by Senior Airman Nathan G. Bevier)
Water on its way
OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM (AFPN) -- Airman 1st Class Randy Bennett drives a 13k all-terrain forklift carrying a pallet of water to a C-130 Hercules aircraft headed for Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, Dec. 18. Water is shipped weekly to deployed troops in Afghanistan. Bennett is assigned to the 320th Expeditionary Aerial Port Squadron serving at a forward-deployed location supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. (Photo by Staff Sgt. Matthew Hannen)
Santa's helper
COMBAT AIR PATROLS -- A boom operator with the 2nd Air Refueling Squadron at McGuire Air Force Base, N.J., give a Christmas present of fuel to an F-15 Eagle on Christmas Day. He was sitting in for Santa onboard a KC-10A Extender to refuel the F-15s from Langley AFB, Va., as part combat air patrols over the nation. (Photo by Kenn Mann)