Patriot Hook exercise hones "port dawg" skills

  • Published
  • By Chief Master Sgt. Daniel DeSmet
  • 45th Aerial Port Squadron
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  The 45th Aerial Port Squadron led the way again to support Air Force Reserve Command's Patriot Hook Exercise 2014, April 23-28. Airmen of the 55th and 82nd APS also participated in the exercise held at Naval Air Station North Island, California. Patriot Hook, sponsored annually by the command, integrates federal agencies with the military, focusing on making the most of command and support, training, integration, and practicing mobilizations for disasters and emergencies worldwide. Although North Island was the main base for operations, the exercise also encompassed the Joint Forces Training Center at Los Alamitos and the Naval Auxiliary Landing Field on San Clemente Island. The majority of the 45th team deployed to San Clemente Island, where they flawlessly operated in a bare bones environment. Thier mission was to Load Plan, palletize, load and offload cargo and passengers. Other colleagues in this year's exercise were the San Diego Border Patrol, Search, Trauma, and Rescue; the FBI Rapid Deployment Team, Los Angeles; U.S. Army 9th Civil Support Team from Los Alamitos; Federal Emergency Management Agency California Task Forces, 2, 4, 5 and 25, and the 147th Combat Communications Squadron, California Air National Guard, San Diego. I believe the 45th is highly qualified to operate efficiently and effectively. Our experience comes from multiple deployments and deeply dedicated professionals. There's a reason we keep getting called on for exercises such as Patriot Hook. Early in the exercise, aerial porters immediately began performing calculations and plans for cargo and passenger placement on the C-5A and the C-17, for transport. Some of the cargo transported was equipment and cargo from the FBI's Rapid Deployment Team. Probably the biggest component of this operation is the inter-operability and coordination of the different agencies, vital to ensuring a quick response for national emergencies. During the exercise, team partners were exposed to the Air Force way of moving personnel and cargo. The exercise tested their preparation for loading cargo, and their requirements for loading their passengers on military aircraft, specifically, the C-5A Galaxy and the C-17A Globemaster III. The FBI's Rapid Deployment Teams are often called out for operations all over the world, in fact, Malaysia's flight MH370 is a good example. The Air Force is the only agency capable of worldwide rapid deployment of these assets. During Operation Patriot Hook Senior Master Sgt. Stanley Bembo, 45th Cargo Section superintendent, coordinated with FEMA Task Force 4, Oakland, to work together in June and continue the training and support, vital to public safety and national security. This type of interaction and training is a win-win, we get to load plan and process odd type equipment and they get to become familiar with the Air Force way. In my opinion, this enhances our war fighting capability and our civilian partners emergency response. "Port dawgs" participating on the team this year were: Bembo, Master Sgt. Kenneth Hill, Tech. Sgt. Ronald Mcauley, Staff Sgts. Chelsea Eckenrode, Alonso Ramos, and Henry Castillo, Senior Airmen Leith Esteban, Amanda Erwin, and Alberto Barajasaparicio, all 45th APS; Tech. Sgt. David Nguyen and Senior Airman James Trevino, 82nd APS, and Tech. Sgt. Nathan Larios, 55th APS.