Air Force Reserve air transportation careers in demand at JBLM
By Jake Chappelle, 446th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
/ Published March 30, 2015
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Airman 1st Class Will Akers, 86th Aerial Port Squadron cargo specialist, spots Tech. Sgt. Sarah Ourso, 86th APS load planner, in the Halvorsen Loader, also known as a 25K loader, March 27. Operating and spotting on the Halvorsen is one of the fundamental skill sets new air transportation specialists learn. Both of the Air Force Reserve's aerial port units at McChord Field - 36th and 86th APS - are in the market for new Airmen.(U.S. Air Force Reserve photo by Jake Chappelle)
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Airman 1st Class Will Akers, 86th Aerial Port Squadron cargo specialist, spots Tech. Sgt. Sarah Ourso, 86th APS load planner, in the Halvorsen Loader, also known as a 25K loader, March 27. Operating and spotting on the Halvorsen is one of the fundamental skill sets new air transportation specialists learn. Both of the Air Force Reserve's aerial port units at McChord Field - 36th and 86th APS - are in the market for new Airmen.(U.S. Air Force Reserve photo by Jake Chappelle)
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Tech. Sgt. Sarah Ourso, 86th Aerial Port Squadron load planner, out of Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, puts in some on-the-job-training hours on the Halvorsen Loader, also known as a 25K loader March 27. The Halvorsen is a rapidly deployable, high-reach mechanized aircraft loader that can transport and lift up to 25,000 pounds of cargo and load it onto military and civilian aircraft. It's also one of the main vehicles used by aerial port specialists in theater. (U.S. Air Force Reserve photo by Jake Chappelle)
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Tech. Sgt. Sarah Ourso, 86th Aerial Port Squadron load planner, out of Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, puts in some on-the-job-training hours on the Halvorsen Loader, also known as a 25K loader March 27. The Halvorsen is a rapidly deployable, high-reach mechanized aircraft loader that can transport and lift up to 25,000 pounds of cargo and load it onto military and civilian aircraft. It's also one of the main vehicles used by aerial port specialists in theater. (U.S. Air Force Reserve photo by Jake Chappelle)
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The Tunner 60K aircraft cargo loader-transporter is one of the main working vehicles used by aerial port specialists, in theater and at home station. It's a highly mobile vehicle system that can transport up to six pallets of cargo at 23 mph. Its deck elevates from 39 inches to 18.5 feet high and employs a powered conveyor system to move cargo. The deck has pitch, roll, yaw and side-to-side adjustment for quick, efficient interface with military and commercial cargo aircraft, including the C-17. The 446th Airlift Wing's 86th and 36th Aerial Port Squadrons at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington are in the market for Air Transportation specialists. (U.S. Air Force Reserve photo by Jake Chappelle)
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Chief Master Sgt. Christopher Dietz, 86th Aerial Port Squadron Air Transportation superintendent, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, demonstrates a pre-vehicle check on a 60K pallet loader for Airman 1st Class Will Akers, one the squadron's newest cargo specialists, March 27, 2015. Both the 86th and 36th Aerial Port Squadrons are in need of air transportation specialists. Dietz said in his squadron there are positions available all the way to the rank of master sergeant. (U.S. Air Force Reserve photo by Jake Chappelle)
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Airman 1st Class Will Akers, 86th Aerial Port Squadron cargo specialist, prepares to operate a 10K forklift March 27 as part of his air transportation specialist on-the-job-training requirements. The 10K forklift is one of the primary pieces of equipment used by air transportation specialists.(U.S. Air Force Reserve photo by Jake Chappelle)
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Airman 1st Class Will Akers, 86th Aerial Port Squadron cargo specialist, prepares to operate a 10K forklift March 27 as part of his air transportation specialist on-the-job-training requirements. The 10K forklift is one of the primary pieces of equipment used by air transportation specialists.(U.S. Air Force Reserve photo by Jake Chappelle)
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Airman 1st Class Will Akers, 86th Aerial Port Squadron cargo specialist, prepares to operate a 10K forklift March 27 as part of his air transportation specialist on-the-job-training requirements. The 10K forklift is one of the primary pieces of equipment used by air transportation specialists.(U.S. Air Force Reserve photo by Jake Chappelle)
MCCHORD FIELD, Wash. --
Telling an Air Force Reserve air transportation specialist to "take a load off" might result in a response unorthodox from an outsider, because that's what they do - literally.
Airman 1st Class Will Akers, 86th Aerial Port Squadron cargo specialist, is one of many Citizen Airmen trained to manage cargo and passengers on aircraft.
These jacks of all trades are hybrids of their counterparts in the civilian world by fusing cargo shipping representative, customer service agent, shipping clerk, baggage receiving attendant, and baggage handling person into the air transportation professional.
Akers, who's working fulltime with his squadron to complete his hands-on training, said he enjoys his job because he feels it makes a difference.
"I wanted to do something, not just sit around" he said. "I wanted to do work that I felt would make a difference - loading cargo, operating a forklift, or just helping people in general."
Since Akers, of Mill Creek, didn't have military experience before joining the 86th APS, he followed the beginner pipeline of Basic Military Training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, and the basic air transportation course at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.
"It [was] a lot of classroom work the first three weeks," he said. "Once you learn the [overall] basics, you learn the basics of the C-17, C-130, how to operate equipment, and tie down cargo."
Tech. Sgt. Sarah Ourso is also new to the career field, but not to the Air Force. She said she chose aerial port because running heavy equipment is in her family lineage.
"I was active duty for 10.5 years," said the Yakima native. "We come from a long line of farmers and ranchers, so this is right up the alley with the loaders and machinery. I'm not really built for an office job."
Ourso went through the more practical prior-service training pipeline, which consisted of a computer-based training series, and a hands-on school at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Georgia.
"I did my [career development course] before going to the course," she said. "You get there and the groundwork is already laid [out], so you go right into learning the equipment and vehicles."
To qualify for Air Transportation, new applicants need to take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery entrance exam, also known as the ASVAB, and score at least 47 in mechanical and 28 in administrative. Candidates also have to be qualified to operate government vehicles.
The 86th APS and it's mirror unit, the 36th Aerial Port Squadron have more than 20 slots to fill, said Tech. Sgt. Orlando Andujar, 446th Airlift Wing line recruiter. There's also room for upward mobility in these units, and non-prior service applicants are entitled a $15,000 sign-on bonus.
Candidates should contact the 446th AW Recruiting Office at (253) 982-9078 to get started with a career in the Air Force Reserve, or to gain more information.