Airmen from around world unite at Misawa to augment Operation Tomodachi

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Joe W. McFadden
  • 35th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan --  On an average day, Airman 1st Class Broderick Oliver, 35th Logistics Readiness Squadron individual protection equipment journeyman, distributed bags of protective gear to his fellow Airmen within the confines of his shop.

However, in the aftermath of the 9.0-magnitude earthquake and following tsunami that ravaged Japan March 11, he now found himself inside a large, wooden crate stacking nearly 300 cases for people whose only tie to the military was their family members.

Airman Oliver, along with other 35th LRS Wild Weasels, sorted, checked and transported luggage for more than 1,300 people on six chartered flights as part of the Department of Defense-approved voluntary civilian departure from Misawa Air Base, Japan, to the continental United States.

Like many augmentees from the 35th Fighter Wing at Misawa Air Base, Japan, and from around the Air Force, Airman Oliver stepped outside his field of expertise to assist the voluntary civilian departure and humanitarian relief efforts in Operation Tomodachi.

In the scope of the crisis, checking the many black, red and leopard-print bags may seem like a miniscule chore, but Airman Oliver said how every little action can make a significant impact.

"I figure I'd want someone to do the same for me if I was in need," he said. "This is just one more way that I can do that, so I'm glad I could be here and help out."

Staff Sgt. Mark Martin, 35th Communications Squadron NCO in charge base radio and security system, said that once he completed his shift he planned on joining the many of the Misawa Air Base community with clean-up efforts outside the gates.

"When I'm done here, I'm going to Hachinohe to help the people down there," he said. "There's still a lot of work that needs to be done, and they could always use a few extra hands."

After the scanning and sorting, LRS Airmen transported the luggage to the flightline before being loaded into commercial aircraft. And among those airfield personnel included many augmentees who were on the other side of the world when the initial devastation occurred.

The day of the earthquake, Airman 1st Class Casey Jones, 621st Contingency Response Wing, served as an aerial porter on the flight line at McGuire Air Force Base, N. J.

Within days, he and his fellow Devil Raiders flew to Misawa to assist in-processing passengers and security check-ins for the civilian departures.

With all luggage loaded and the final aircraft on its way to America, the augmentees' duties now focus on supporting the 35th FW mission, including relief efforts off base.

Airman Jones said that while he didn't expect to spend his first temporary duty assignment loading pet crates into a cargo hold, he said he appreciated the opportunity to be a part of Operation Tomodachi.

"Whatever we can do to help others makes me feel good," he said. "When I look back on this in the future, I can tell my son I was here on this mission and represented the Air Force and the 621st CRW. That's a good feeling, and I'm proud I can say that."