Combat Airlifter of the Week: Airman 1st Class Ryan Blazek

Name and Rank:   A1C Ryan Blazek

Unit: 61st Airlift Squadron

Official Duty title: C-130J Loadmaster

Hometown: Waddell, Arizona

Time in service: 2 years, 5 months

Time at Little Rock: 1 year, 10 months

Goals: To become a C130J Loadmaster Instructor and obtain his bachelor’s degree.

Hobbies: Rock climbing, Video Games, and Cooking

A1C Blazek championed Agile Combat Employment during Exercise Bamboo Eagle, delivering war-time assets to the 23rd Expeditionary Fighter Wing and facilitating four MAJCOM's training, elevating readiness for near-peer conflicts. He elevated Norway bi-lateral exercise, airdropped 12 Norwegian special forces, 64 armed forces and obtained an off-load certification demonstrating improved off-load methods and helped expand Norwegian aircrew checklist procedures. A1C Blazek was selected for 61 AS proof-of-concept flight for Hot Integrated Combat Turn, collaborated with four base agencies, identified vulnerabilities in timeline constraints, validating 19 OG/CCs intent toward operational employment.