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      Airmen from the 8th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron Ramp Services team load munitions onto a C-17 Globemaster III from Travis Air Force Base, Calif., at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar Feb. 26 in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. In February the team loaded more than 3,500 tons of cargo onto U.S. aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. James Hodgman/Released)Providing critical support to the AOR
                        
                        
                        Airmen from the 8th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron Ramp Services team load munitions onto a C-17 Globemaster III at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, Feb. 26, 2016, in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. In February, the team loaded more than 3,500 tons of cargo onto U.S. aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. James Hodgman)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        Airmen from the 8th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron Ramp Services team load munitions onto a C-17 Globemaster III from Travis Air Force Base, Calif., at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar Feb. 26 in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. In February the team loaded more than 3,500 tons of cargo onto U.S. aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. James Hodgman/Released)Providing critical support to the AOR
                        
                        
                        Airmen from the 8th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron Ramp Services team load munitions onto a C-17 Globemaster III at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, Feb. 26, 2016, in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. In February, the team loaded more than 3,500 tons of cargo onto U.S. aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. James Hodgman)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        Airmen from the 8th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron Ramp Services team load munitions onto a C-17 Globemaster III from Travis Air Force Base, Calif., at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar Feb. 26 in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. In February the team loaded more than 3,500 tons of cargo onto U.S. aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. James Hodgman/Released)Providing critical support to the AOR
                        
                        
                        Airmen from the 8th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron Ramp Services team load munitions onto a C-17 Globemaster III at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, Feb. 26, 2016, in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. In February, the team loaded more than 3,500 tons of cargo onto U.S. aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. James Hodgman)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        A deployed aircrew member pushes a pallet of munitions onto a C-17 Globemaster III from Travis Air Force Base, Calif., at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar Feb. 26 in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. In February, the 8th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron loaded more than 3,500 tons of cargo onto U.S. aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. James Hodgman/Released)Providing critical support to the AOR
                        
                        
                        A deployed aircrew member pushes a pallet of munitions onto a C-17 Globemaster III at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, Feb. 26, 2016, in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. In February, the 8th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron loaded more than 3,500 tons of cargo onto U.S. aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. James Hodgman)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

Providing critical support to the AORPublished March 7, 2016
                    
                    By Tech. Sgt. James Hodgman
                    
                    
                    379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
            **AL UDEID AIR BASE, Qatar (AFNS) --**A team of nearly 40 Airmen at Al Udeid Air Base loads and off-loads thousands of pounds of cargo into aircraft almost daily.The Airmen assigned to the 8th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron’s Ramp Services section are responsible for loading and unloading a wide variety of cargo including equipment, medical supplies, munitions and blood onto aircraft needed at bases across the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.In February, the team loaded more than 3,500 tons of cargo onto U.S. aircraft, including more than 1,000 tons of munitions valued at approximately $81 million.Senior Airman Christian Molenhoff, an 8th EAMS aerial port expediter from Indianapolis, explained the loading process.“When we get to the plane, we conduct exterior and interior inspections looking for anything that may prevent us from loading or unloading the aircraft,” Molenhoff said. “We make sure the rails are operating properly and we review the load plan to ensure we don’t need to change anything.”Molenhoff said after the inspection, the aircraft is prepped for loading depending on the cargo weight. Distribution of the weight and not overloading the aircraft are important, because they don’t want the aircraft to tip during takeoff or while in flight.He said safety is a primary concern.“Everything we do on the ground makes sure the aircraft operates safely. We kind of have lives in our hands when we load aircraft, because if anything slips out of place or a chain breaks and the cargo shifts that could alter the safety of flight,” he said. “Safety is our number one priority.”Another important priority is timeliness, according to Staff Sgt. Justin Bradford, an 8th EAMS load team chief from Loundon, Tennessee.“We are always under a deadline and meeting those deadlines can be quite a challenge, especially when we have to upload or download multiple planes,” Bradford said. “We do our best to ensure each aircraft is ready to go within an hour of takeoff.”Bradford said there have been times when his unit has had to load and offload several aircraft all within a few hours and this included some aircraft that required a quick turn.Quick turn implies an aircraft lands, the cargo is quickly off-loaded and the aircraft is loaded with new cargo, so it can depart within approximately 90 minutes.“We are here to get the mission done, to get cargo from one location to another and that’s very rewarding,” Bradford said. “Knowing we did our job means a lot to me, to know we’re out here loading and unloading cargo, supporting (aeromedical evacuation) missions ... we send everything from munitions to medical supplies to help our fellow service members.“Everything that’s in our load plans is being loaded and unloaded for a purpose,” Bradford continued. “To know I’m helping people in need is very rewarding.”Master Sgt. Raymond Graves, the 8th EAMS NCO in charge of ramp services from Clover, South Carolina, said he’s proud of his Airmen.“There’s no such thing as a typical day in ramp services,” Graves said. “We may support 18 missions today and 30 tomorrow, every day is different and my Airmen come together to get the mission done without complaint.”Al Udeid AB 



Qatar 



AFCENT Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                SecAF Kendall visits Bangor ANG Base
                    
                    Vice President Harris congratulates USAFA Class of ‘24
                    
                    Senate confirms Melissa Dalton as next Under Secretary of the Air Force
                    
                    ‘One Team, One Fight’: SecAF visits Keesler AFB
                    
                    SecAF Kendall experiences VISTA of future flight test at Edwards AFBInnovation
                AFSFC reaches final phase of fielding Model Defender gear
                    
                    Around the Air Force: PCS Allowances, Air Task Forces, All-Volunteer Force
                    
                    AFIMSC focuses I-WEPTAC topics on GPC solutions
                    
                    Optimizing AI, Air University hosts Artificial Intelligence Symposium
                    
                    AFIMSC tools deliver data-driven solutions across DAFMAJCOM News
                AFMC to expand AcqDemo workforce
                    
                    AFMC empowers small businesses for Air Force reoptimization
                    
                    Acquisition Instructor Course Class 25A open for nominations
                    
                    Air Guard leaders host 2024 Wing Leader Conference
                    
                    Referral bonuses aim to help fill mission-critical vacancies
 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