News

First in last out: ALCF to decommission

  • Published
  • By Airman First Class Patrick Cabellon
  • 446th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
MCCHORD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  The 446th Airlift Wing is losing a diverse group of Airmen, whose professionalism and expertise is unrivaled when it comes to running an airfield at a deployed location. The decommissioning ceremony for the 446th Airlift Control Flight is July 12. 

The 446th ALCF is being shut down as Air Mobility Command shifts to larger packages and a more comprehensive forward-deployed operations doctrine which incorporates many of the ALCF roles at deployed locations. ALCF roles include the management of all air mobility missions including cargo movement, tanker missions, patient movement and aircraft maintenance. 

The Airmen in the ALCF have the knowledge, experience, and the equipment to manage an entire airfield. After setting up in their mobile air reporting and communication shelter, they act as command post and airfield management for safe operation on the ground. When the mission is complete they are on the last plane out of the area. 

"Before they send in the planes, somebody has to be there to manage them," said Tech. Sgt. Monty Clayton, who joined the 446th ALCF in 1997. 

The 446th ALCF have taken part in many significant missions. When the Air Force took over the Operation Deep Freeze mission from the Navy, the 446th ALCF provided the first necessary command and control to direct planes carrying personnel and essential cargo to U.S. outposts throughout the desolate continent of Antarctica. 

"There is a whole detachment to work the command and control for the continuous operation of Deep Freeze now." said Master Sgt. Tom Martin. "When we first did it, we provided AMC deployed Command and Control with only three Airmen." 

The 446th ALCF also supported the fight against illegal drugs and the trade of such substances in South America. 

When not on active missions, the 446th ALCF operates an Affiliation Training Program to teach troops from other branches how to properly prepare and load-plan a plane with cargo. There are up to 20 classes per year, with about 10 to 25 attendees per class. 

The 446th ALCF has been around since 1982 at McChord AFB, and was the first in the Air Force Reserve. Sergeants Martin and Clayton both joined the 446th ALCF in 1997. 

"When Sergeant Clayton and I joined the flight we had no equipment of our own," said Sergeant Martin. "We just had a couple of radios. We had to borrow equipment from the (62nd Airlift Wing). Now, we have one of the largest assemblies of equipment in the wing!" 

Or use to have the largest assembly of equipment until the unit began dispersing its equipment. 

Equipment the 446th ALCF maintained has been transferred to the 452nd ALCF, March Air Reserve Base, Calif. It was loaded up into a March ARB-owned C-17 and in full flight by 5 p.m., June 11. 

There are 15 Airmen currently working in the 446th ALCF. Each one is a professional in his or her job. Everyone has a multitude of different jobs in the flight, and is capable of performing numerous duties outside of their own AFSC. 

"We call that cross-capability, and it helps us meet our timelines when we deploy," said Sergeant Martin.

The 446th ALCF is comprised of some of the most specialized Airmen in their jobs, said Sgt. Martin .

Any Airman could not just waltz into the 446th ALCF and get a position. They had to apply for the job and go through an interview and a tough peer performance review before acceptance into the 446th ALCF family. 

Airmen of the 446th ALCF will be going their separate ways; some to other organizations, some will cross-train into other AFSCs and others still will return to their original AFSCs.
"I'm really going to miss the people (in the 446th ALCF) the most; it's the people who make this job one of the best," said Sergeant Clayton. 

The official decommissioning of the 446th ALCF is Sept. 30. 

Hangar 12, where the 446th ALCF shop is located, will be turned over to the 446th Aeromedical Staging Squadron.