July 05.pmd - 440th Airlift Wing

BATTLEFIELD AIRMAN440th takes Kenya military to new heightsby Tech. Sgt. Mark Munsey379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public AffairsNAIROBI, Kenya (AFPN) — As the sun roseJune 6, seven Airmen wearing desert flightsuitsstood outside the guarded entrance to JomoKenyatta International Airport waiting for theirpassengers.The C-130 Hercules crew, deployed toSouthwest Asia from the 440th Airlift Wing werehandpicked to take several dozen Kenyan armyspecial operations forces’ paratroopers on theirfirst airdrop in nearly three years.“Because of the ... war on terrorism, theKenyans haven’t had access to a cargo plane inquite some time,” said Maj. Keith Wesley, 95thAirlift Squadron, aircraft commander.While the airport ground crew fueled the C-130, U.S. and Kenyan troops prepared for thefirst of their 14 drops over the next three days.The Air Force was just the latest Americanmilitary branch to help the Kenyans achieve theirtraining goal. Army special operations forces hadbeen on the ground and in the Kenyans’ classroomfor a month before the C-130 arrival.They were finally ready, but takeoff wasdelayed for close to an hour because of preflightpreparation as well as the late arrival of a Kenyansoldier.Before leaving the helicopter that brought himin, the uniform-clad passenger was familiar byposition, if not by name, to Lt. Col. Bob Berman,a C-130 mission officer in charge.“I’m betting this is the army general comingin to talk to his troops,”Colonel Berman surmised.Talk, no. Grab a ‘chute, yes.“I saw real leadership today, watching thegeneral be the first Kenyan leading his troops offthe ramp,” said Capt. Brad James, a 440th AirliftWing reservist serving as the mission co-pilot.Captain James flew the second plane full ofparatroopers later that morning.As the C-130 raced over the African terrain, ateam was at the drop zone contending with alast-minute obstacle. They were clearing awaymyriads of local four-legged inhabitants, amongthem lions, tigers and zebras.“It’s like jumping into a zoo,” said Army Sgt.1st Class Michael Ray, a paratrooper and medic.The “10-minute warning” soon became “twominutes to the zone.” In the cargo compartmentstood American and Kenyan forces eager topractice what the U.S. Army had preached in theclassroom.Soon enough the signal for 30 seconds wasgiven. Then, faster than it seemed, the “fivesecondwarning” motivated the 12 chute-wearingwarriors to take a deep breath before plunging1,250 feet.One large leap for Kenyan paratroopers, onelarger leap in the fight against instability andterrorism for the region, Major Wesley said.Then he turned the Hercules to the left andcircled around for the next wave of Kenyan skyjumpers.In all, more than 140 paratroopers jumpedfrom the aircraft.photo by Tech. Sgt. Mark MunseyKENYA — Master Sgt. Dan Schmitz, 440th Maintenance Squadron, conducts a final check of a C-130 Hercules before departure June 6. More than 140U.S. and Kenyan Army paratroopers left the Kenyan army base landing strip and made successful jumps during the three-day, 14-drop mission. Whileactivated, Sergeant Schmitz is a crew chief with the 746th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron at a forward-deployed location.The Flying Badger July 2005 Page 3