AF Reserve certifies aircrews, maintainers for 2009 wildland firefighting season

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Stephen Collier
  • 302nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
TUCSON, Ariz. --  Air Force Reservists are no strangers to raising their right hand for a volunteer duty, especially when it means saving the lives and property of fellow Americans at home. That's why AF Reservists do everything they can to prepare for Mother Nature's fury.

From May 3-9, AF Reservists from the 302nd Airlift Wing at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., are joined by their counterparts in the Air National Guard to certify on the nation's premiere aerial firefighting system: the Military Airborne Firefighting System, or 'MAFFS.' At Tucson's International Airport, C-130 Hercules aircrews are flying from sun up to sundown in an effort to finalize their annual certification from the U.S. Forest Service, ensuring they're ready to be called up when communities flame up.

"It's a very challenging mission that makes you feel good, like you've really made a difference at the end of the day," said Maj. Michael Savage, 731st Airlift Squadron Instructor Pilot and MAFFS flyer for seven years. "This is my favorite mission for many reasons. It gives us the opportunity to directly support our own people in our own backyard."

Each year, the AF Reserve and ANG's three airlift wings that support MAFFS trade leadership of MAFFS activations as well as the certification week. The airlift wings rotate the schedule, allowing each wing the flexibility of MAFFS assistance while supporting other tasked deployments, to include Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. This year, the ANG's 153rd AW, based out of Cheyenne, Wyo., takes the lead. In the event the fire season heats up, California's ANG unit, the 146th AW at Channel Islands, will re-designate as the 146th Air Expeditionary Group. The re-designation allows the Air Force to give the 146th the lead of operations, with its ANG sister units and the AF Reserve's 302nd AW which then fall under their leadership umbrella.

Aircrews, together with maintainers, perform the certification annual at the USFS's request. Maintenance Airmen and civilians ensure the C-130 and its systems are in top-notch condition each time aircrews goes up. But when it comes to the MAFFS system itself, the Forest Service retains ownership, servicing the system continually, especially during the drier seasons. The military ensures its members are ready to fly them.

"The Forest Service and the Air Force have been doing this mission together for 39 years and that's a fairly sizable time frame to be involved in something," said Lynn Ballard, MAFFS 2009 training and certification fire information officer. "There are contract air tankers out there and in recent years the fleet has been reduced due to the age of their fleet. The AF Reserve has some aircraft and they have the ability to support this surge when they need it. They also have the personnel to operate the equipment and the folks who maintain the aircraft have the ability to support the mission as well. Equipment and personnel are two key ingredients to support this mission."

Mr. Ballard, who has been involved with the MAFFS mission for 10 years, said the Air Force brings a "surge capability" when the civilian aerial firefighting fleet just isn't enough.

Equipment and personnel are two key ingredients to support this mission," he said. "People don't have to do this job; they want to do the job of aerial firefighting."

"With temperatures hovering around 100 degrees daily [during this year's certification], maintainers keep plugging along, working 14-hour days," said Chief Master Sgt. Mike Sanchez, 302nd Maintenance Group superintendent. "Kudos to the men and women from the 302nd MXG and Logistics Readiness Squadron who provided ready aircraft daily for aircrews to accomplish their annual MAFFS certification."

The chief continued, identifying his role in supporting the men and women who turn the wrenches.

"I work to ensure people get out of town and that they're set up and taken care of at the forward operating location," the chief said. "You have to take care of your Airmen to maintain the aircraft. The last thing they need to worry about is where to eat and where they'll sleep. I take care of those details so they can concentrate on their jobs."

And the sentiment of those maintainers is shared across the interagency prism, especially by the USFS. Mr. Ballard mentioned when it comes to the mission of MAFFS, having the public thank you is one of the most rewarding parts of his job.

"There's been times when an aircraft has come back from a fire and one load put it out ... that's certainly memorable," he said "But when the public comes forward and thanks you for the job you do, those moments are always rewarding. I think the public really appreciates the [MAFFS] help. It's kind of like watching the cavalry showing up."

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