Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      Around the world in 27 daysPublished July 14, 2014
                    
                    By Airman 1st Class Shelby Kay-Fantozzi
                    
                    
                    27th Special Operations Wing Public Affairs
            **CANNON AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. (AFNS) --**The first continuous mission around the world for the MC-130J Commando II, the Air Force Special Operations Command's newest platform, ended successfully July 9 with the aircraft's safe return to Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico. 
The MC-130J's historic mission, which spanned five continents and approximately 28,000 miles, was to escort single-engine AFSOC aircraft to a destination in the Pacific area of responsibility. 
"This journey included several long flights, so the purpose of our aircraft was to ensure personnel recovery in case anything went wrong," said Lt. Col. Nathaniel Jones, the 522nd Special Operations Squadron acting operations officer. 
A diverse group of Airmen worked together to safeguard the aircraft and keep the mission running smoothly, said Capt. Mary Spafford, the 522nd SOS combat systems officer. 
"We had a team of 26 all together," Spafford said. "We had our aircrew, maintainers for the 522nd, pararescuemen from the 308th Rescue Squadron at Patrick Air Force Base (Florida), and the crews from the aircraft we were escorting. All of those packages -- maintenance, ops, and rescue -- came together to get the mission done."
The true triumph of the mission, Jones said, is the teamwork it took for units from the 27th Special Operations Wing and the 1st Special Operations Wing to support each other. 
"The planning efforts of the crew were a major highlight of the mission," Jones said. "They had to marry up two sets of plans, and staying aligned was key. Crews were focusing down to the hour to work within clearances to fly over certain places."
Clear communication was essential in the air and on the ground, as landing in countries all around the world called for renewed attentiveness and flexibility at each destination.
"It definitely required everyone to be vigilant and understand their respective roles," said Capt. Cooper Livingston, a 522nd SOS pilot, and the copilot for this mission. "With so many different groups and agencies working together, we had to stay on the same page." 
Learning how to interact with other countries was both a challenge and a learning experience for the crew.
"We encountered so many different cultures and perspectives," Livingston said. "It was a really interesting dynamic. Depending on where you were, you had to tailor your mannerisms and way of speaking. It definitely required close attention." 
Stops for rest and refueling allowed the team to explore locations that many never get a chance to see. 
"A lot of people join the Air Force to see the world," said Senior Airman Tyler Julyan, a 522nd SOS MC-130J loadmaster. "We actually got to do it." 
The crew collectively cited Tanzania, Sri Lanka and Japan as some of their favorite stops overseas. 
"Riding an elephant in Sri Lanka was the highlight of my experience," Livingston said. "As an Alabama grad, being able to see our mascot up close was just really cool." 
The crew also climbed Mt. Fuji, toting hiking sticks that were stamped from bottom to top with elevations to mark the climbers' progress up the mountain. 
In spite of the adventures the crew found overseas, the high point was mission completion itself --  from the first day to the day all three aircraft were successfully dropped off at their final destination. 
"We got to see and do some amazing things, but the point was the escort," said Maj. Matthew Weinschenker, a 522nd SOS pilot and mission commander. 
By all accounts, the MC-130J's escort mission was a success. 
"It's almost unheard of for an aircraft to go around the world with no major breaks or delays," Spafford said. "Every time the mission called for it, the crews just got up and pushed. We had a lot of different squadrons with a lot of different objectives, but we all pulled together to achieve the main objective of the mission." 
The crew made the best of their rare opportunity, not only to work with various squadrons around the country, but also to demonstrate the capabilities of the U.S. Air Force around the world. 
"For 27 days we were out there doing the mission," Weinschenker said. "We all made it back safe and people all over the world saw what we're capable of." 
After nearly four weeks of constant motion, the crew was relieved to return to Cannon AFB.
"It was a long trip, but it was definitely worth it," Spafford said. "It's great to be back on U.S. soil."MC-130J Commando II 



AFSOC 



Air Force Special Operations Command 



Cannon Air Force Base Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                DAF leaders talk budget, reoptimizing the force
                    
                    DAF leaders speak at National Character and Leadership Symposium
                    
                    DAF members recognized during BEYA STEM awards
                    
                    DAF senior enlisted advisors discuss Airmen, Guardians in the fight
                    
                    SecAF Kendall AFA Warfare Symposium Q&A: Reoptimizing for Great Power CompetitionInnovation
                AFWERX director discusses role of tech startups, quick innovation in Great Power Competition
                    
                    DAF delivers lethality at the speed of data during Project Convergence Capstone 4
                    
                    DAF welcomes industry partners to HQ development program
                    
                    DAF announces Spark Tank 2024 finalists
                    
                    Chief Digital, Artificial Intelligence Office to host hackathon in HawaiiMAJCOM News
                Safety enterprise announces new mission, vision, goals in 2024 strategic plan
                    
                    Air Combat Command welcomes new commander
                    
                    USAFE-AFAFRICA commander discusses Integrated Air, Missile Defense during Munich Security Conference
                    
                    Flosi to AFMC family: Embrace change, make every day count
                    
                    AMC rises to increasing global tension
 Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil