News

McChord Airmen take off for Antarctic

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Tim Chacon
  • 62nd Airlift Wing
MCCHORD FIELD, Wash. --  McChord Airmen embark on their 575th mission in support of the National Science Foundation's Antarctic operations.

A C-17 Globemaster III left Feb. 7th with three sets of air crews and several support personnel from McChord field from units including the 62nd Airlift Wing, 446th AW and the 22nd Special Tactics Squadron in support of Operation Deep Freeze.

"We will conduct nine missions bringing the summer personnel home before winter," said Lt. Col. Robert Schmidt, 304th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron commander. "We will also deliver some supplies to the people staying at McMurdo Station, Antarctica that will help get the through the winter."

According to Schmidt, Antarctica poses unique challenges and some extra measures are taken to ensure mission success.

"We have special certifications for the aircrew members going down there," said Schmidt. "We spend a lot of time in the simulator here trying to mimic the conditions we will face in Antarctica. We also bring additional crew members with us. Temperatures can get very low there. We will bring extra load masters to help rotate duties and limit their exposure to the cold temperatures."

The cold is not the only thing the crews must overcome. The isolation of McMurdo Station poses its own challenges.

"Once we take off from Christchurch [New Zealand] we only have two places we can land, McMurdo Station or back at Christchurch," said Schmidt. "Fortunately with the extended range tanks on the C-17 we could fly there and back if we need to."

The NSF maintains three year-round stations in Antarctica with 150 people staying through the winter. More than 1,500 people are there during the summer.

"It is a great mission to be a part of," said Schmidt. "We are one of two units certified to support the NSF and last October marked our 15th year of support for them."