General pays visit, thanks Airmen from 302nd AW

  • Published
  • By Maj. James R. Wilson
  • 302nd Airlift Wing Public Affairs
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. --  Officials from the 302nd Airlift Wing hosted the two highest ranking officers in the Air Force Reserve during a visit here Nov. 6, 2007. 

Lt. Gen. John Bradley, Chief of Air Force Reserve and commander of Air Force Reserve Command, and Maj. Gen. Allan Poulin, vice commander of Air Force Reserve Command, came to Colorado to discuss the service's aerial firefighting capability. 

Last month, Airmen from the 302nd AW deployed to Point Mugu Naval Air Station Calif., where they teamed with the Air National Guard to help fight wildfires that destroyed more than 1,000 homes and resulted in the death of at least 8 people. 

The Modular Airborne Firefighting Systems were requested by California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger Oct. 23 through the U.S. Forest Service. 

Multiple fires raged for several days displacing more than 500,000 California residents and making the disaster a front-page story in newspapers across the country. 

"I'm really proud of the work that you all did," said General Bradley. "I want to thank all of the 302nd for leaning forward, getting out of town (so quickly) and doing this so well.
The general went on to explain the interest that exists in MAFFS in Washington, D.C. and throughout the nation. 

"This mission gets a lot of attention," said General Bradley. "General (T. Michael) Mosely (Air Force Chief of Staff) asks about it a lot. Beyond that, this is good for the Air Force because it shows our members helping the American people." 

Aircrews, maintenance specialists and ground support teams from Peterson flew 27 missions with their two MAFFS-equipped C-130s. The reservists dropped more than 75,000 pounds of retardant on multiple fires in the state throughout the 14-day operation. 

"The conditions were challenging," said Lt. Col. Ron Wilt, 302nd deputy operations group commander and one of the pilots who saw the fires devastation from several hundred feet above ground the fires. "We flew, at low altitudes, a very heavy aircraft in areas that were hot and in airspace that was at times quite congested. Those are hazards that we were certainly aware of and a large part of why we require such experienced crews to fly these missions." 

Colonel Wilt presented each general with MAFFS patches which both adorned on their flight suits. After becoming honorary MAFFS members, General Bradley and General Poulin made their way to the flightline where they observed an MAFFS-equipped C-130H and discussed its operational capabilities with members of the wing.