PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- For the second year in a row, Air Force reservists with the 39th Aerial Port Squadron have partnered with the 21st Logistics Readiness Squadron to help deliver winter weather clothes to Afghanistan via the Denton Program.
Similar to last year, there was more than 13,000 pounds of donated winter weather clothes to be prepared and transported from here via the Denton Program.
The Denton Program permits Defense Department transportation on a space-available basis for approved, privately donated humanitarian assistance cargo destined for countries on an approved listing provided by the Department of Defense.
Staff Sgt. Meagan Hasty, a 39th APS air transportation technician, coordinated the cargo delivery here where she and her 39th APS team and 21st LRS Airmen could prepare it for shipment on a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft from March Air Reserve Base, California.
“Working with the 21st (LRS) on this has been great,” said Hasty. “When we worked this mission last year, they told us not to worry about needing help next time something like this pops up. They just said ‘consider it done.’ We couldn’t have done this without their support. Situations like this show the importance of Total Force Integration.”
In all, six pallets of winter clothing to include coats for children, were loaded onto the C-17, which will make its way to the mountainous regions of Afghanistan and distributed to those in need by Cyrus International Inc. in the coming months.
“There are a lot of different pieces of the puzzle to coordinate,” said Hasty. “Knowing who this cargo is going to makes getting it trucked to us, building up the pallets, and getting timely airlift support to move the cargo overseas all worthwhile.”