DOBBINS AIR RESERVE BASE, Ga., -- Making sure cargo is delivered in a timely and safe manner to any location in the world is central to what the men and women of the 80th Aerial Port Squadron here do very well. But what sets them apart from any other Air Force aerial port is their commitment to their work and to each other.

"Everyone here is like family," said Staff Sgt. Tamara Franklin, an aerial porter and passenger service representative who joined the squadron in 2003. "We call it a team but we're more like a family."

Made up of several entities, the squadron is comprised of a joint inspection section, an air terminal section, an operation center, a passenger services section, a ramp section, a cargo section, a fleet services section and a load planning section.

Together they provide aerial support of air-land operations in high threat areas, augment aerial ports of embarkation/debarkation, and operate unit moves as well as on-load and off-load locations.

It's definitely a team effort said Sergeant Franklin.

"Everyone pitches in," said Sergeant Franklin. "We can clown around with each other but when it's time to get the job done, it's all business. It feels great knowing when it's time to get the job done; we get it done in the safest way, the best way."

Master Sgt. Xavier Sanford, assistant non-commissioned officer of cargo, said collaboration is primary to mission accomplishment.

"Every job ties in to the other," said Sergeant Sanford. "We need each other to make the process work. I've seen a lot of positive change happen over the years. The focus is on being mission ready. That's good."

Helping to make them a stronger, more professional organization is the squadron's steady contribution to the global war on terrorism.

In 2005, 88 Airmen were put on active duty under the presidential authorization to call up members of Air Force Reserve Command in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. They were deployed to several countries including: Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Germany; Turkey and Afghanistan.

Both Sergeant Franklin and Sergeant Sanford were among the squadron's initial 88 Airmen to deploy.

Twenty aerial port Airmen are currently preparing for a deployment rotation.

Since 2006, 80th APS has earned the distinction of having served the most man-days in support of The Global War on Terror of any aerial port in the Air Force Reserve Command according to their commander, Lt. Col. Todd Laughman.

"We're incredibly proud of that distinction," said Colonel. Laughman. "Our mission is very important to the Air Force, unloading, loading and tracking everything coming in and out. Everything runs through aerial port.

"We're also really proud of our sister units who constantly help us do our jobs," he said. "Without their hard work we wouldn't be as effective as we are."