Finally: THE FIRST DAY!

Great Falls to Baltimore. Glimpse of the F-15 now at the 12oth Fighter Wing , of which I am a part. In Baltimore, switched out into uniform. Checked in at the Air Mobility Command counter (AMC) and greeted by USO giving out care pachkages and Girl Scout cookies. There was a 2 star general in line and I was impressed that he was standing in line with all the rest of us and not getting any specialy check-in treatment until I realized that he was working his way through the line backwards. He was there to say good bye, hand shake, pep talk and a pat on the back..a very nice gesture.

This is the over head panel above our seats in the DC-10 that we flew on. "The Bus". What is missing from the picture? Right, the little air jets. During the 45 plus minute boarding process, I and everyone else sat in this giant metal tube that had been sitting out in the sun all day. Although the auxillary engine was running, there was no A/C or any way to create a breeze. Great pre-conditioning for the trip ahead. Get all of those sweat pores up and running and cleaned out.

Left Baltimaore at 10 PM and Arrived in Ramstein AFB 10 AM local time to let off those "bus passengers" that were transferring to Germany.

Just enough time in the terminal to get out a quick e-mail to loved ones back home that World Airways made it again. Just as you thought you had time to do something else, back to the gate for pre-boarding. The term is justified since it is "pre" to the real event since you wait there for an hour to take place. Suprisingly, what took 45 minutes the first time to get on the "bus", now only took 20 minutes, including the new passengers who had to find theie seats.

A C-5 aircraft, huge!

Across the runway, dozens of ammunition bunkers. Is the "Cold War" truly over and are they all empty? I mean the prior "Cold Contingeny Operation"

Fairwell Ramstein and on to Aviano AFB in Italy.

Beautiful German towns all with red tile roofs.

Different field patterns as we are used to very regular and geometric fields at home.

Off the "bus" in Aviano for more USO cookies. DRopped of those riders transferring to Italy. Still awake with out a nap yet.

Had several hours to observe the groups left behind as everyone now left represents the core participants in the future contingeny operation. There are guardsmen and active duty members of the Air Force, Army and Marines. There are a small number of muscular bearded individual (Special Operations Forces), a cluster of very military looking civilians (OSI, CIA, FBI), skin heads ( I mean this in the most repectfull of terms in that our hair is short but the Marines are for all practical matter bald). All in a gathering of their tribe; a commonality of purpose and mission. You won't see any of their pictures.

And then there is the rest, the majority: Air Force personnel. 90% just support personnel: mechanics, logistics, supply, communication and a few medical. All of the behind the scene people to get the aircraft in the air. Just like the 120th fighter wing, there are only a handfull of air craft and pilots but over 600 people just to make it happen.

Some of the small aircraft shelters for the jets at Aviano.

Enroute to Al Edeid flying over the Dolomite Mountains. Another 6 hours and a dinner and two movies: James Bond and Iron Man. Still no sleep other that a cat nap here and there.

Most of flight at night. Flew over Turkey, Iraq and Kuwait befor landing in Qatar. Beautifull cities along coast of Qatar. Landed at Al Edeid just after midnight, local time, 9 hours ahead of your time. Feet on the ground and the fun was just ready to begin!!!!!!