Team Little Rock Airmen deploy

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Aaron Irvin
  • 19th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

Airmen from the 19th Airlift Wing and 913th Airlift Group headed out the door this week to Southwest Asia in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel and NATO’s Resolute Support.

Nearly 150 Airmen from the 19th Maintenance Group, 19th Operations Group and 19th Logistics Readiness Squadron deployed alongside over 100 Reserve Airmen from the 913th AG who would provide enhanced joint operability.

“As an installation, we are going to see nearly 500 Team Little Rock Airmen deploy by the end of the month,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Gerald Donohue, 19th AW commander. “While that is a heavy lift across organizations, it is exactly what we train for.”

This is the first time the 913th AG has deployed with the 19th AW as an air crew and maintenance package. For some Airmen, this is their first deployment. Airmen completed training in an effort to excel at the tasks expected of them.

“Our Airmen are going to be working closely alongside our allies to bring the fight to our adversaries,” Donohue said. “We have collectively been developing our readiness over the last year, which has improved those skills our deploying Airmen will need downrange. They are unmatched in their training and execution of the mission, and they will be ready for the challenges to come in supporting our nation’s defense abroad.”

Approximately 94 percent of the Airmen in the 19th AW are ready to deploy at a moment's notice. The ability to train alongside the Reserves is a great example of the total force effort generated here.