Approximately 40 airmen from the 621st Contingency Response Wing at Joint Base McGuire-Dix- Lakehurst in central New Jersey have arrived in Pakistan to support flood relief operations in the wake of massive flooding that has killed more than 1,600 people and affected another 17 million Pakistanis.
According to a press release, the airmen, who make up a Contingency Response Element, are working at Pakistan Air Force Base Chaklala, Rawalpindi, in partnership with the Pakistani government and military officials to support humanitarian airlift operations delivering relief supplies to locations throughout Pakistan.
“Our mission will be to work in close coordination with the government of Pakistan to help provide humanitarian relief supplies and equipment that meets the requirements identified by assessment teams and humanitarian organizations on the ground in Pakistan,” said Lt. Col. Shawn Underwood, the Contingency Response Element commander. “We have supported the people of Pakistan before, and the support and aid we provide to our friends in this time of need will be nothing less.”
Since 2005, the 621st Contingency Response Wing has conducted humanitarian relief operations around the world.
During Pakistan earthquake relief operations in 2005, CRW airmen supported 273 U.S. missions and provided 15.2 million pounds of relief supplies, including more than 93,000 sleeping bags and 292,000 blankets. CRW Airmen also loaded 587 trucks and processed 4,481 pallets.
CRW airmen deployed to Port-au- Prince, Haiti, in January, to work at the Toussaint L’Ouverture International Airport, where they supported 3,006 U.S. and international relief missions following an earthquake in Haiti.
At that time, the team downloaded more than 15,400 tons of humanitarian relief equipment and supplies, and evacuated 14,495 men, women and children from the devastated country.
“Our unit has a lot of experience in operations like these,” said Underwood. “I have no doubt that our support to the Pakistanis in this relief operation will help save lives over there.”
In other Joint Base McGuire-Dix- Lakehurst news, Col. Paul R. Murphy was expected to assume command of the 305th Air Mobility Wing today, Sept. 2.
During the ceremony, Col. Scott F. Smith, 305th Air Mobility Wing commander, relinquished command to Murphy, who has previously served as the Chief of Programs Division for Air Mobility Command, at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois.
Smith has commanded the 305th Air Mobility Wing since March 2009. He will be moving on to command the Commander’sAction Group for United States Southern Command in Miami, Fla.
To date, Murphy has been responsible for the planning and programming of Air Mobility Command force structure to include 55,000 personnel, 1,295 mobility aircraft, and 12 active-duty main operating bases that provide forces worldwide.
He is a command pilot with more than 3,300 flying hours in KC-135 Stratotanker, T-37 Tweet, KC-10 Extender, and E-4B, according to a press release.
The 305th Air Mobility Wing extends America’s global reach by mobilizing and deploying 32 KC-10 and 16 C-17 Globemaster III aircraft to conduct strategic airlift and air refueling missions worldwide. Additionally, the wing operates two of America’s largest strategic aerial ports supporting the delivery of cargo to combatant commanders abroad.