Here's how you know
 **Official websites use .mil** .mil
 **Secure .mil websites use HTTPS** lock () https://


Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 Toggle navigation
            
            
            
            
            National Guard
                        Always Ready Always There
                    National Guard
            
            Search National Guard:
                        Search
                    Search
                        Search National Guard:
                            Search
    Home

    News
    
        Guard News

    Overseas Operations

    State Partnership Program

    News Features

    RSS Feeds

    Press Releases

    Transcripts

    Features
    
        Features by Year

    Posture Statement

    State Partnership Program

    Special Features

    About the Guard
    
        How We Began

    Air National Guard

    Army National Guard    
    
        DEERS Soldier Journey

    Leader Development Program

    History and Heritage

    I am the Guard

    NGB Official March

    Leadership
    
        CNGB

    VCNGB

    SEA

    DANG

    DARNG

    Joint Staff    
    
        J-1

    J-2

    J-3

    J-4

    J-5

    J-6

    J-7

    J-8

    Personal Staff    
    
        Inspector General

    General Counsel    
    
        Special Victims Counsel

    Public Affairs

    Executive Support Services

    Legislative Liaison

    Special Staff    
    
        Office of the Provost Marshal

    Office of the Joint Surgeon

    Director of Acquisitions

    Small Business Programs

    Chaplain

    Senior Leader Management Office

    Diversity Equity Inclusion

    Comptroller

    Resources    
        National Defense Strategy Implementation Guidance

    Community Engagement

    FOIA

    Fact Sheets

    Helpful Links

    Image Gallery
    
        News Images

    Graphics

    Historical Paintings

    Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

    Legislative Liaison

    Small Business Programs

    Social Media

    State Websites

    Videos    
    
        Featured Videos

    On Every Front

    2019 Videos

    2020 Videos

    2021 Videos

    Suicide Prevention

    Family Programs

    Environmental

    Trial Defense Service

    Holistic Wellness Challenge

    Contact Us  Home
  News
  Article View
 
 Download
 Details
 Share
 NEWS
 109th Airlift Wing wraps up 27th year of Antarctic science support By Tech. Sgt. Catherine Schmidt
                109th Airlift Wing
 STRATTON AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, N.Y. - Airmen with the New York Air National Guard's 109th Airlift Wing flew 241 missions, delivering more than 3,100 passengers and 4.5 million pounds of cargo and fuel to research stations across Antarctica during a deployment to the southern continent that began in October 2014 and ends this week. This is the 27th year that the unit has supported the National Science Foundation's Antarctic Program as part of Operation Deep Freeze, providing military logistics support for the research effort. "This was a great season for the 109th," said Air Force Lt. Col. Clifford Souza, from the wing's 139th Airlift Squadron, who returned home with about 30 Airmen on Feb. 24. "We flew over 155 on-continent missions in Antarctica as well as intercontinental missions from New Zealand to Antarctica. We're glad to be back and have one more year under our belt." The wing deployed 575 Airmen and seven LC-130 Hercules ski-equipped aircraft to McMurdo Station, the hub of the American presence in Antarctica during the five month support season. About 120 Airmen were at McMurdo Station at any given time, as Airmen rotated between Antarctica and the 109th Airlift Wing's home in Scotia, New York. On average Airmen spent two months in Antarctica. The first LC-130 returned home with passengers Feb. 23 with more Airmen following throughout the week via C-17 Globemaster III. The final six LC-130s that were deployed and remaining Airmen are expected to return home within the next week. The unit's 27th season supporting the National Science Foundation began in October. The first Airmen who returned to Stratton Air National Guard Base, located just outside Schenectady, New York, noted that it was colder in New York state than it had been at McMurdo Station when they left. "It was colder here than it was down there," Air Force Master Sgt. Shawn Talbot said. "But the wind makes it horrible, same as here. When the wind and the snow get whipping around, it gets into everything, all the crevices of the buildings." A few hours before the Airmen arrived home, Albany was still below zero, while McMurdo Station was sitting at 5 degrees. The return home to colder temps was a shock for other reasons as well. "Especially since we had to come through Hawaii," Souza said, "and we spent a day there, it was like, 'OK, here we go! We have to break all the cold weather gear out of our Arctic bags, so we can just survive driving home.'" The unique capabilities of the ski-equipped LC-130 aircraft make it the only one of its kind in the U.S. military, able to land on snow and ice. "We have the only 10 ski equipped C-130s in the entire U.S. inventory – that's Navy, Air Force, Army, Marines," said Air Force Maj. David Panzera , a LC-130 pilot with the unit. "We are the only ones with them." The Air Guard aircrews support a variety of research that occurs in the Antarctic, Panzera said. "People would ask, rightfully, what are the research efforts there," Panzera said. "It's not just climate, which some people think that's all they do. It's not. They do volcanology – the study of volcanoes – that's right next to us called Mount Arabis. They do glaciology, plate tectonics. They study the stars and other sciences are just amazing, especially sea life at the edges of the continent because nothing can live in the interior." Panzera said it's difficult to describe how beautiful the Antarctic is. This year was his 17th season with Operation Deep Freeze and he said he looks forward to the assignment each year. "My flight, which takes me to the South Pole, is a two hour 45 minute flight," he said. "But you fly over some of the most amazing mountain ice sceneries that the world holds." This mission season also saw the successful deployment of "IcePod" devices on the wing's LC-130 "Skibird" aircraft, an imaging system that can measure the depth of an ice sheet. "IcePod focuses on the development of an integrated ice imaging system that can measure in detail both the ice surface and the ice bed, helping in the understanding of why ice sheets are changing at such a rapid rate," said Air Force Lt. Col. Blair Herdrick, chief of Antarctic operations at the 109th AW. "The system (is) enclosed in a Common Science Support Pod mounted on the rear troop door of the LC-130. This (was) the first operational use of the CSSP," he said. Crews flew nine flights total with the IcePod over a three-week period. "These were the final tests before the IcePod is fully commissioned," said Air Force Maj. Joshua Hicks, a 139th AS pilot who flew the missions. "Overall it went very well. We completed what we needed to do." The continued work supporting Operation Deep Freeze garnered attention from military leadership as well. Both Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James and Air Force Lt. Gen. Stanley Clarke III, Air National Guard director, visited Antarctica and the Airmen stationed there in January. Air Force Maj. Marc McKeon, assistant chief of Antarctic operations, said the people are what contribute to a successful season. "People enjoy the mission," he said. "You have to enjoy what you do in order to be good at it. And we have some of the best maintainers and aircrew that the Air National Guard has to offer."
 SHARE
 PRINT
 
 Washington Guard, Royal Thai Army Conduct Expert Exchange
 By Joseph Siemandel,
  Tennessee Guard Rescues Hiker in Great Smoky Mountains Park
 By Lt. Col. Darrin Haas,
  Champions Repeat at NH National Guard Marksmanship Match
 By Master Sgt. Charles Johnston,
  More
 Tennessee Guard Rescues Hiker in Great Smoky Mountains Park Guard News • 5 hours ago
 Champions Repeat at NH National Guard Marksmanship Match Guard News • yesterday
 West Virginia Air National Guard Wing Conducts ’Super Drill’ Guard News • yesterday
 Idaho Medical Airmen Train in Field to Boost Readiness Guard News • yesterday
 Alaska Air National Guard rescues 6 plane crash victims Guard News • yesterday
 2024 (189)  2023 (427)  2022 (526)  2021 (697)  2020 (936)  2019 (387)  2018 (323)  2017 (346)  2016 (245)  2015 (356)  2014 (399)  2013 (469)  2012 (556)  2011 (533)  2010 (1071)  2009 (357)  2008 (638)  2007 (295)  2006 (188)
 Home
 Site Map
 Privacy & Security Policy
 Link Disclaimer
 Web Policy
 DOD Information Quality
 DOD Open GovernmentFOIA
 No FEAR Act
 Accessibility/Section 508
 Contact Us
 Army Guard Careers
 Air Guard Careers
 USA.gov
                    
Staying Connected
    XYouTubeFlickrFacebookInstagram
                 
                
                

Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil