DRB-1 cycle with only two battalions. To accommodate this, the 1st Brigade had split the DRB-1 cycle in half, with the 3/504th being the DRF for the first three weeks, and the 3/504 taking the duty for the final three. Now, some folks might say that this was an unfair burden for the brigade to have to bear given the importance of their mission. Colonel Petraeus, in his role as “Devil-6” (the 1st Brigade/504th PIR commanding officer), would just tell you that it is one of the many challenges that the airborne provides its officers. Along with getting the 3/504 started home, the 1st Brigade stood their alert quietly and coolly, with very little in the way of alert activity. Earlier in 1996 there had been several “tickles” that had resulted in contingency plans very nearly being executed, but these had passed without the need to deploy any of the forces from the 82nd. For 1st Brigade, this DRB-1 cycle passed without incident.
Time Off: DRB-3 (July 26th to September 13th, 1996)
On Friday, July 26th, 1996, the 1st Brigade handed off the DRB-1 duties to the troopers of the 2nd Brigade. This done, everyone headed home for a touch of leave and some time with their families. However, within a week or two, everyone got down to work. Like any unit in the airborne, there were new paratroops to bring into the brigade, and it was time for others to move on. For some, the DRB-3 period was an opportunity to attend Pathfinder or Jumpmaster School, or to attend some other service course. These schools are essential to a soldier if they are to move up the ladder to higher rank and responsibility.
In addition to these happenings, there was the whole process of refresher training for the units of the brigade. The constant movement in and out of the brigade means that basic weapons and airborne skills need to be constantly reinforced if the troopers are to stay combat ready. The training is also vital to the process of integrating new personnel into the various units of the brigade. It was essential that this be completed prior to the 1st Brigade going onto DRB-2 status, since the brigade would be heavily involved in advanced combat training during this period. In particular, they would make a rotation to the world’s finest infantry training center, the JRTC at Fort Polk, Louisiana. There also is the requirement to be ready to follow the DRB-1 brigade into action, should world events dictate that. By Friday, the 13th of September, 1996, the Devil Brigade had finished its “rest” period, and was ready to head into the “work-up” phase of their eighteen-week rotation. It would be an eventful month and a half.
Getting Ready: DRB-2 (September 13th to November 1st, 1996)
The start of the DRB-2 phase of 1st Brigade’s rotation was the start of an exciting period for Colonel Petreaus and his troopers. Almost immediately, they were faced with the upcoming deployment to Fort Polk for their JRTC training rotation, which was scheduled to begin in early October. This is a huge undertaking, given that a trip to the JRTC is costly, both in dollars and time. However, I think you will find when I describe their time at Fort Polk that it was time well spent. However, there were other places to go as well. As I told you earlier, there are other parts to an airborne task force than just the paratroops. Without airlift units ready with skilled aircrews and maintenance personnel, as well as the proper aircraft, there cannot be any “air” in airborne. So follow me south on a visit to the future of American airlift: the 437th Airlift Wing at Charleston AFB, South Carolina.
Charleston AFB, South Carolina, Saturday, September 14th, 1996
There is no more beautiful Southern town in the U.S. than Charleston, South Carolina. Out of this famous river and seaport town came the beginning of the rebellion that became the American Civil War, our nation’s bloodiest conflict. Charleston has paid a high price for this independent streak over the years. In 1865, General Sherman’s army burned the town to embers as payback for starting the conflict by firing at Fort Sumter. The city was again wrecked 124 years later, when Hurricane Hugo paid a visit, destroying much of the downtown section of the scenic port. Today, Charleston has recovered from both disasters, and is poised to leap into the 21st century with a whole new group of industries popping up around the former stronghold of the Confederacy. While many of the old textile mills have gone offshore, new factories for things like BMW automobiles and Robert Bosch ignition systems have more than made up the slack. This is a city on the move, and you can feel the excitement as soon as you arrive.
Inland from the city is the Charleston International Airport, which is a dual civilian/military facility. On one side is a wonderful new civilian terminal, and on the other is the home of the C-17 Globemaster III, America’s newest transport aircraft. Charleston AFB itself is not a new facility. The original base dates back to World War II. However, the steady patronage of Congressional leaders like Mendell Rivers and the immortal Strom Thurmond have kept the facilities at Charleston state-of-the-art, looking as good as new. The base has also seen its share of history. Back in the 1970s the first active unit of C-5A Galaxy heavy transports was based here. Today, the 437th Airlift Wing (AW) is doing the same thing with a new heavy airlifter, the C-17A Globemaster III. As I mentioned in the previous chapter, the wing is currently equipped with two squadrons each of C-17As and C-141Bs. Commanded by Brigadier General Steven A. Roser, the wing is also co-resident with the 315th AW. Commanded by Colonel James D. Bankers, the 315th is what is known as a “Reserve Associate” unit. This means that they share the base’s aircraft and work in concert with the 437th on a daily basis, providing additional flight crews and ground personnel. In fact, the 315th flies almost a third of the missions out of Charleston AFB. It is, however, the 437th that I came to see and fly with. At the invitation of the Air Force, I had originally planned to fly a five-day mission around the Pacific to get to know how the C-17 and the 437th works. However, world events took a hand in changing my itinerary.
For the third straight year, Saddam Hussein had again flexed his military muscle, this time supporting a particular Kurdish sect against a rival faction. In addition, the Iraqi air defense systems had gotten somewhat active. Strikes by sea- and air-launched cruise missiles had damaged part of the air defense systems, but the rest remained intact after the strikes. Once again, U.S. forces made the annual pilgrimage back to Kuwait to show their fangs against the Iraqis. For this reason, the trans-Pacific mission I was to fly on was canceled, and the mission reprogrammed to take personnel and equipment for the 49th Fighter Wing (flying the F-117S Nighthawk, also known as the Stealth Fighter) from Holloman AFB in New Mexico to Kuwait. However, other opportunities for me rapidly presented themselves. The follow-on deployment of ground personnel and equipment from the 1st Armored Cavalry Division to Kuwait wound up being delayed several days, and I managed to get in several fascinating flights with the crews of the 437th.
You might wonder why the 437th would continue flying training missions when there was a very real possibility of this crisis erupting into a shooting war. Well, their view is that no matter what happens, they still have a shortage of qualified C-17 flight crews, and their job is to get them ready as quickly as possible. The Globemaster community is growing so fast, and is flying operational missions so frequently, that qualified mission and aircraft commanders are in high demand. This is particularly challenging, since the C-17 Schoolhouse unit has moved to Altus AFB in Oklahoma, taking some of the best C-17 flight crews away as instructors. So life and training goes on at Charleston, the will of Saddam and other global thugs notwithstanding.
My first chance to fly came on Saturday, September 14th, when I was invited to join a training qualification flight for several new aircraft commanders from the 437th’s 17th Airlift Squadron (AS). The flight would be commanded by one of the 437th’s instructor pilots, Major Tim Higa. The two command pilot trainees, Captains Eric Bresnahan and Doug Slipko, would alternate in the front seats with Major Higa. The loadmaster duties would be handled by Senior Airman Christina Vagnini, a young woman working at night on her nursing degree. We would be joined by John Gresham (with his ubiquitous camera and notebook), as well as 2nd Lieutenant Christa Baker, one of
