Aerial Porters Separate the Dawgs from the Pups

by Senior Airman Elizabeth Gaston, 94th Airlift Wing Public Affairs,

The 80th Aerial Port Squadron, 94th Airlift Wing, took first place in the cargo restraint event at the Air Force Reserve Command's biennial air mobility competition at Dobbins on June 21.

The 80th APS was represented by Master Sgt. Edward Thomas Jr., Tech. Sgts. Mitchell Brown, Ray Lewis and Joseph Saldivar, Senior Airmen Stephanie Luckett and Daniel Taylor.

Each team received a Dawg bone at the beginning of the competition with the challenge of keeping it safe. The 80th APS team was among four teams to have their Dawg bone stolen and had to perform a skit during the award ceremony.

Saldivar showed the crowd his "talent" for telling the future when he had Dawg bone thief, Master Sgt. Josh Bell, Port Dawg Challenge Fit to Fight head umpire, remove his left boot.
"I see your future, sir," said Saldivar, as he tossed Bell's boot into the crowd. "I see you walking kind of funny."

Dobbins Air Reserve Base had the honor of hosting the 2012 Port Dawg Challenge June 19-21, which showcased the mission capabilities, career field knowledge, professionalism and physical prowess of 19 Aerial Port Squadrons from across the nation.

This year's Port Dawg Challenge champions were the 96th APS, 403rd Wing, stationed at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark.

Why is the concept of an aerial port so important? The functional area manager for AFRC was in attendance at the competition and able to answer this question.

"Our primary mission to be a mobile aerial port and deploy," said Chief Master Sgt. Hawthorne, AFRC logistics superintendent. "If this job isn't done perfectly, in theater, the aircraft could potentially crash, or operate inefficiently."

Teams like the 80th APS and the 96th APS have proven that they are well up to the challenge and have the capabilities to keep cargo and, therefore, aircraft flying straight.

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