133rd Airlift Wing Deploys Again to Southwest Asia

  • Published
  • By Captain Ann Todd
  • 133rd Airlift Wing
St. Paul, Minn. --  The Minnesota Air National Guard's 133rd Airlift Wing will be deploying approximately 350 members in support of Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom this year.

The length of the deployments will range from two to six months, depending on the assignment and location. This is the third, fourth or even fifth deployment to Southwest Asia for many 133rd Airlift Wing personnel.

Since September 11, 2001, the 133rd Airlift Wing has deployed over 4,500 Airmen to locations around the world in support of the Global War on Terrorism.

On May 1st the Wing launched the first C-130 H3 "Hercules" cargo airplane from the Minneapolis, St. Paul International Airport headed to Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan. Additional aircraft will be launched in the coming weeks. According to 133rd Airlift Wing Commander, Colonel Greg Haase, the C-130 Hercules supports many facets of the military mission, including airdrop and airland delivery of supplies, equipment and personnel to remote airfields.

"Another mission of the C-130 is aeromedical evacuation," says Col Haase. "We hope they are not needed, but we are ready to exercise any of the primary disciplines the C-130 and crews provide if called for in the theater of operations."

The approximate 350 deploying Airmen include aircrew members, maintenance personnel, security forces, firefighters, civil engineers and many others.

In 2009, the Twin Cities-based 133rd Airlift Wing deployed more than 700 Airmen to 16 countries in support of U.S. operations worldwide. The Wing is comprised of approximately 1,250 men and women who serve in support of state and national needs.

For more information on the 133rd Airlift Wing visit www.133aw.ang.af.mil.

For more information on the Minnesota National Guard visit www.MinnesotaNationalGuard.org.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Capt. Ann Todd with the 133rd Airlift Wing Public Affairs Office at ann.todd@ang.af.mil or call 612-713-2435.