UDM: a ‘booming business’

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Kelly White
  • 35th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan --  From protecting U.S. interests and its allies in the Far East to fighting terrorism from forward operating bases in the Middle East, there's not a Misawa Airman who doesn't need to be instructed, geared-up and ready to head downrange - to "fly, fight and win in air, space and cyberspace."

Combat-readiness, being a multi-faceted and ever-changing process, also means there's not a Misawa Airman who doesn't rely on a unit deployment manager for help.

"My role is to deploy people in support operations worldwide," said Tech. Sgt. Leslie Luft, 35th Fighter Wing Staff Agency UDM, an Airman with six deployment experiences of her own.

"What a deployer needs to 'be ready' depends on several factors, like where in the world they're headed to, the mission they'll perform and what their (Air Force Specialty) mandates," she said. "I make sure that individual isn't missing anything needed to do their job - from (computer-based training) to shooting M-16, M-9 or shotgun; to having the uniforms and equipment they'll use."

Each Misawa squadron has, at minimum, a primary and alternate UDM who handle all the personnel deploying from the unit, collectively ensuring the readiness and successful deployment of more than 3,000 mobility requirements on the base.

By Air Force Instruction, the logistics readiness squadron is in charge of the installation deployment plan, and its installation deployment readiness cell is the focal point for all deployment and execution operations.

"UDMs work for their respective squadron, but also play a vital role in the 'mobility machine,'" said Master Sgt. Ken Turini, 35th LRS Plans and Integrations section chief. "The responsibility for deployments goes from the wing commander to the installation deployment officer, and the job of getting Airmen ready to fill deployment spots is what we rely on UDMs to do.

"The IDRC provides UDMs initial, 'big-picture' training on how deployments happen on Misawa and we give them oversight," he added, "but UDMs are key in the process of assigning names from their squadron to meet each tasking requirement."

The oversight UDMs get from the IDRC includes monthly meetings, where they jointly learn about current and proposed changes, and exchange ideas about how to get the job done best.

Sergeant Turini said while the IDRC does what it can to make the UDM function as painless as possible, being a UDM isn't an easy job for anyone to have.

"It's a learn-as-you-go responsibility for most of us," said Sergeant Luft. "UDMs don't have a separate (Air Force Specialty Code) like other special-duty assignments, but that's really what it is," she added. "It's definitely a full-time job once all the additional duties are added to it, as is the case for most UDMs."

Sergeant Luft, whose formal training is in information management - working orderly rooms, help desks and group commanders' administrative duties - has been a UDM for about 16 months and said the challenge of trying to master a job that changes constantly is one of the things she enjoys most about her work.

As the wing staff UDM, the deployers she processes hail from 15 different career fields - from chaplains to lawyers, to video broadcasters, she said. Each has a set of deployment requirements unlike the others, and the key to successfully deploying them boils down to practicing good time and stress management - and not just her own.

"As the liaison between the deploying member and every other agency involved in preparing and delivering the member to their deployed location, much of my focus is on how make it all happen in time," Sergeant Luft said.

"I put a lot of energy into budgeting other people's time, but also in helping them manage the stress of deploying," she said. "'Newbies' tend to need hand-holding for their first deployment - explaining what a 3-day bag is and why they need it. Others may have (combat skills training) anxiety. I try to help them relax and reassure them they'll be ok."

One thing both sergeants agree on is that - while the job of a UDM entails developing a clear-cut, controlled checklist of actions from information that comes in vast, vague and varying - knowing Airmen are 'good-to-go' downrange is, without a doubt, worth the effort.

"Being a UDM ranks the highest of all the work experiences I've had during my career," said Sergeant Luft. "It's satisfying to see people come back from a successful deployment, especially when they tell you they got there on time and with everything they needed."