Gearing up to go overseas

Airmen from the 128th Air Refueling Wing wait to receive briefings as part of the wing's pre-deployment process on Tuesday, June 30, 2009. The briefings were given by medical readiness personnel, family support staff, personnel specialists, intel officers, and the civil engineering squadron’s threat readiness specialists. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Ryan Kuntze)

128th Air Refueling Wing Airmen prepare for deployment

Published June 30, 2009
By Senior Airman Ryan Kuntze
128th Air Refueling Wing

MILWAUKEE -- Airmen from the 128th Air Refueling Wing here prepared for an upcoming deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom on Tuesday, June 30, 2009.

The Airmen went through an expedited out-processing line, a new addition to this year's deployment readiness.

"We spent a lot of time refining the out-processing process," said 1st Lt. Aaron Gulczynski, the installation deployment officer for the 128 ARW.

Folders containing deployment-relevant information were reviewed by authorized officials at the beginning of the out-processing line, and chemical bags were assembled in a do-it-yourself line, which ended with the completed bags being loaded into cargo pallets for shipment overseas.

Briefings were given by medical readiness personnel, family support staff, personnel specialists, intel officers, and the civil engineering squadron's threat readiness specialists, said Tech. Sgt. Urbano Rivera, a small-air terminal representative for the 128th.

Rivera said the out-processing procedures will end on the day of departure, when a flight safety briefing is given just before the deploying Airmen board a KC-135 Stratotanker that will take them to their deployed location.