Aerial porters deploy, get it done! Published May 21, 2013 By Senior Airman Elizabeth Van Patten 94th Airlift Wing Public Affairs DOBBINS AIR RESERVE BASE, Ga. -- Over 40 Airmen from the 80th Aerial Port Squadron departed Dobbins Air Reserve Base during February and March in direct support of contingency operations in the Middle East. "The 'Port Dawgs' of the 80th APS represent the finest that the Air Force and certainly the United States has to offer," said Senior Master Sgt. David Strickland, 80th APS first sergeant. "They are hard chargers and do not believe in the word quit. The men and women of the 80th APS are hometown heroes that are winning the war. We are proud of each and every deployed Airman!" The aerial porters will serve a critical role in the delivery of cargo and personnel in and out of austere and unimproved landing zones. "Aerial porters are well known for working hard and making the impossible, possible," said Maj. Kelly Bronson, 80th APS commander. "I'm a huge fan of the men and women we have deployed. I'm proud of the work they've done at home station to prepare for deployment and I'm proud of the work they are currently doing in the deployed location. The deployed leadership of the APS couldn't ask for a better prepared, well-disciplined group of professionals." As with many deployed military members, the Department of Defense takes great pride in not only preparing the deployer, but also the families they leave behind. Family members of Airmen are often hailed as the unsung heroes, or the heroes behind the heroes. Members of the Airmen and Family Readiness Office were on hand to distribute information on deployment, stress and various initiatives for spouses on the home front. One such initiative is the Key Spouse Program. "Taking care of our families is my number one concern throughout this deployment," said Angela Pederson, 94th Airlift Wing Airman and Family Readiness director. "Between the wing leadership, the Airman and Family Readiness staff and our Key Spouses, we intend to provide all the information, support and resources that our families need to successfully cope with the anxieties of separation." Another initiative is the Yellow Ribbon program. The Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program is a Department of Defense-wide effort to promote the well-being of National Guard and Reserve members, their families and communities by connecting them with resources throughout the deployment cycle. For more information regarding what the Airman and Family Readiness Office can provide, please contact Pedersen at (678) 655-5004. For more information on the Yellow Ribbon Program, please contact Capt. Travis Shepard at (678) 655-2701 or email travis.shepard.1@us.af.mil.
