No Result
View All Result
Reserve & National Guard
SUBSCRIBE FREE
No Result
View All Result
Reserve & National Guard
SUBSCRIBE FREE
Reserve & National Guard

National Science Foundation receives continued support from New York Air National Guard

109th Airlift Wing's annual mission powers through COVID-19 protocols

Lucretia Cunningham
by Lucretia Cunningham
January 20, 2022
National Science Foundation

A loadmaster directs a snow machine onto a LC-130 for delivery to a research camp on the continent. The LC-130 Skibird is the only large mobility aircraft in the world equipped with skis to and on ice and snow. Photo by by Tech Sgt. Gabriel Enders

More than 180 New York Air National Guard airmen from the 109th Airlift Wing journeyed to Antarctica to support National Science Foundation research despite pandemic challenges. 

The team was deployed over the holidays for Operation Deep Freeze, which typically spans from December to February. However, this mobilization required airmen to depart from their home station at Stratton Air National Guard Base two months earlier to accommodate a required quarantine period and COVID-19 screenings on an extended layover in New Zealand.

From there, the aircrews flew three of their special ski-equipped LC-130 Hercules cargo aircraft, or “ski birds,” to McMurdo Station on Antarctica’s Ross Peninsula. The NY ANG owns 10 of the world’s only LC-130 aircraft and deploys them annually to provide logistic support for National Science Foundation personnel and supplies throughout various science stations and snow runways on the southern continent. 

National Science Foundation
Photo by by Tech Sgt. Gabriel Enders

Sara Eckert, a spokesperson for the NSF, said the LC-130’s range and unique ski landing gear are critical to providing an intercontinental air link between New Zealand and McMurdo during warmer periods when wheeled aircraft lose the ability to operate. 

“The 109th AW’s LC-130 provides the United States unequaled access to the deep field, allowing for large scientific camps at extended range from supply hubs,” Eckert said. “This deep field support allows for continentwide exploration and acts as a logistics multiplier, extending the reach of smaller, more nimble aircraft at these locations. The LC-130 also provides the main airbridge to South Pole Station, located 730 nautical miles from McMurdo Station.”

Tech. Sgt. Gabriel Enders, 109th AW flight engineer, has deployed for Operation Deep Freeze nine times. This year, he stayed behind with many typical mobilizers, as the personnel changeover that would usually occur about a third of the way through the deployment was eliminated to mitigate COVID-19 exposure risks.

“COVID has really impacted the mission, but we’re still accomplishing the mission,” Enders said. “We’re proving we can still operate even under the conditions of a worldwide emergency.” 

Working the mission

The team is issued cold-weather gear to endure the 10 F to 20 F degree temperatures of summertime Antarctica. Although, Enders said, the weather doesn’t compare to far lower wind chills during New York winters. Even so, the airmen are required to attend BLAST (Barren Land Arctic Survival Training), where aircrew flight equipment personnel work with Arctic SERE instructors from Alaska to teach survival skills specific to the polar desert. 

And, while a three-month deployment may seem cush, Enders said without Wi-Fi and cell service, wasting downtime on social media or video games isn’t an option. Family members understand the challenges their significant others might face when calling home on landline phones and the difference in time zones.

National Science Foundation
Photo by by Tech Sgt. Gabriel Enders

Nevertheless, he also said the camaraderie built among team members during the deployment is worth the consequential digital detox.

Once the mission was complete, Enders traveled to New Zealand, then took the week-long trip to return with the aircraft so his teammates could catch a quicker, more relaxing commercial flight to be home by mid-January. 

He, along with the other aircrew, will “puddle jump” to refuel the aircraft about every eight hours on their way back to New York to account for flying at lower altitudes with an excess of heavy cargo. But, Enders said he’s happy to do it, realizing he’s living an experience others might only dream about while contributing to the NSF’s larger federal mission.

“I enjoy the mission just because it’s so unique,” he said. “The places we get to see are places that only 1% of the world’s population will ever get to. It’s very unique, rewarding and a lot of fun to be part of it.”

For more information, visit the 109th Airlift Wing website.

Read comments
Tags: 109th Airlift WingAntarcticaNational Science FoundationNew York Air National GuardNSF
Lucretia Cunningham

Lucretia Cunningham

Lucretia Cunningham is a freelance multimedia journalist and Air Force Reserve public affairs specialist. After serving over 10 years as a medic in the active duty Air Force, Lucretia cross-trained to public affairs in the reserve component and attended the Defense Information School at Ft. Meade, Maryland. She has a bachelor’s degree in communications from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia, and has reported in Virginia’s Historic Triangle and Hampton Roads region.

Related Posts

OPINION: Individual Ready Reserve offers chance to ‘take a knee’

by Emily Solberg
2 weeks ago
0
Individual Ready Reserve

The Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) is a little-known option that could help with retention, according to one reservist and military...

Read more

Citizen airman becomes 2nd nurse in history to receive Distinguished Flying Cross

by Taneika Duhaney
3 weeks ago
0
Distinguished Flying Cross

A once-undecided high-school-graduate turned citizen airman is the second nurse in history to receive the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Read more

Deadly Buffalo blizzard prompts mobilization of 849 guardsmen

by AmeriForce Exclusive
3 weeks ago
0
Blizzard

More than 800 New York National Guardsmen took part in a week-long mission following a blizzard that dumped 50 inches...

Read more

OPINION: Finding value in the repetition of deployment training

by Amanda Huffman
1 month ago
0
Deployment training

Deployment training often includes a lot of repetition and can sometimes feel boring or frustrating beyond the point of reason.

Read more

National Guard year in review: Unique missions include prison staffing, asylum assistance

by Ben Greene
2 months ago
0
National Guard

Three hundred National Guard soldiers and airmen made a permanent benefit to Florida’s peace and security by deploying alongside prison...

Read more

Operations Desert Storm, Shield memorial renamed

by Kari Williams
2 months ago
0
Desert Shield

The National Desert Storm and Desert Shield Memorial will break ground on July 13 after more than a decade of...

Read more

Ads

Let's get social

The RNG Drill

News delivered directly to your inbox

Let's connect!

ABOUT US

  • OUR STORY
  • OUR TEAM
  • OUR WRITERS

MAGAZINE

  • GET PRINT
  • GET DIGITAL
  • GET THE NEWSLETTER

GET RESOURCES

  • VETERANS TOOLKIT

ADVERTISE

  • GET OUR MEDIA KIT
  • PUBLISHER’S STATEMENT

SUBMISSIONS

  • PITCH US
  • SUBMIT YOUR STORY

Never miss out on the latest stories.

© 2021 Reserve & National Guard by AmeriForce. Privacy Policy | Terms | Site by Swiss Commerce

Thank you for your interest in The Reserve & National Guard Magazine!

Thank you for your interest in The Reserve & National Guard Magazine!

No Result
View All Result
  • NEWS
  • YOUR CAREER
    • UNIT TRAINING
    • DEPLOYMENT
    • PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
    • RECRUITING & RETENTION
    • ENTREPRENEUR
    • TRANSITION
  • EDUCATION
  • MILITARY LIFE
    • MILITARY SPOUSES
    • MILITARY KIDS
    • PARENTING
  • OFF DUTY
    • ENTERTAINMENT
    • TRAVEL
  • HEALTH
    • FITNESS
    • MEDICINE
    • MENTAL HEALTH
  • OPINION
  • HISTORY
  • MONEY
    • PERSONAL FINANCE
    • BENEFITS
  • GET THE MAGAZINE
    • PRINT MAGAZINES
    • DIGITAL MAGAZINES
    • GET THE NEWSLETTER
  • RESOURCES
    • VETERANS TOOLKIT
  • ABOUT US
    • MEET OUR TEAM
    • OUR AUTHORS
    • ADVERTISE WITH US
    • SUBMIT YOUR STORY
    • PITCH US
    • CONTACT

© 2022 Reserve & National Guard by AmeriForce. Site by SCBW