50 AS commander’s immersion brief

U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Kevin Cruz, a loadmaster assigned to the 50th Airlift Squadron, explains how to load pallets on a C-130J Super Hercules during a mission immersion tour for roughly 30 Airmen from the 19th and 913th Force Support Squadrons at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark., Feb. 19, 2016. The morning at the event was held to show FSS members, whose primary function is personnel support, how their efforts support the C-130 mission. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Jeff Walston/Released)

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50 AS commander’s immersion brief

U.S. Air Force Capt. Kyle Capko, a pilot assigned to the 50th Airlift Squadron, explains how certain loads are dropped from a C-130 aircraft during a C-130 mission immersion tour at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark., Feb. 19, 2016. Roughly 30 Airmen attended the event hosted by Lt. Col. James C. O’Brien III, the 50th Airlift Squadron commander, who wanted to show the Airmen how vital they are to the C-130 mission at Little Rock. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Jeff Walston/Released)

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50 AS commander’s immersion brief

U.S. Air Force Reserve Senior Airman Bobbi Reader, aircrew flight equipment, 327th Airlift Squadron, assists Staff Sgt. Kimberly Jones, a fitness center specialist assigned to the 19th Force Support Squadron, with donning a helmet at Little Rock Air Force base, Ark., Feb. 19, 2016. Aircrew wear helmets to protect against small-arms fire, shrapnel, and injuries that may be caused by a rough ride, but helmets also house communication systems as well as components for Heads-up Display’s integration with vision equipment. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Jeff Walston/Released)

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50 AS commander’s immersion brief

U.S. Air Force Capt. Kyle Capko, a pilot assigned to the 50th Airlift Squadron, dons an aircrew chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and high yield (CBRNE) warfare protection device during a C-130 mission immersion tour at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark., Feb. 19, 2016. Roughly 30 Airmen from the 19th and 913th Force Support Squadrons spent the morning at the event, which was hosted by the 50th Airlift Squadron commander, Lt. Col. James C. O’Brien III. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Jeff Walston/Released)

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50 AS commander’s immersion brief

Night vision equipment and helmets used by C-130 aircrews are stacked and ready for attendees of a C-130 mission immersion tour at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark., Feb. 19, 2016. Night vision equipment allows C-130 pilots of the ability to operate in a wide range of missions, or land almost anywhere in the world, both day and night. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Jeff Walston/Released)

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50 AS commander’s immersion brief

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. James C. O’Brien III, 50th Airlift Squadron commander, addresses a group of Airmen from the 19th and 913th Force Support Squadrons during a C-130 mission immersion tour at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark., Feb. 19, 2016. O’Brien hosted the event to show the FSS Airmen how important they are to C-130 mission at Little Rock. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Jeff Walston/Released)

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50 AS commander’s immersion brief

Published Feb. 23, 2016
By Master Sgt. Jeff Walston
913th Airlift Group

Little Rock AFB, Ark. -- Roughly 30 Airmen from the 19th and 913th Force Support Squadrons spent Friday morning immersed in a C-130 mission briefing event at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark., hosted by Lt. Col. James O’Brien, commander of the 50th Airlift Squadron.

Briefers walked attendees through the standard profile of "plan the mission, brief the mission, fly the mission, and then debrief the mission.” The aircraft’s capabilities and the threats it faces during wartime missions were also emphasized.

“We are one team, one mission,” O’Brien told the group. “Force support is super important to the C-130 mission, and I want you to see how it happens, and how you fit in.”

The briefing began with a history lesson dating back to 1954, when the C-130 made its first flight. Another historical tidbit, unbeknownst to most in the room, is that the aircraft that flew the last C-130 mission out of Vietnam in 1975 sits outside the main gate of Little Rock AFB.

After the initial briefing, attendees received hands-on demonstrations of night vision goggles and other flight equipment, which included aircrew helmets, parachutes and chemical warfare equipment.

The force support Airmen also toured the air delivery shop, where airdrop pallets are prepared for training flights at Little Rock. Air delivery experts in the shop briefed the Airmen on wartime weapons drops and humanitarian missions flown by Little Rock Airmen.

The highlight of the event was a hands-on look at a C-130J on the ramp. Each Airman toured the aircraft and was given the opportunity to sit in the pilot seat and see the different screens and Head's Up Display (HUD) of the aircraft.

“This was a great opportunity for our Airmen,” said Lt. Col. Rosalind Abdulkhalik, commander, 913 FSS. “They now have a better understanding of operational team work and how valuable they are in the total effort it takes to complete the mission.”