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Aerial Porters lend a hand to world leaders

  • Published
  • By Benjamin Newell
  • AFDW Public Affairs
ANDREWS AFB, MD. --  For one week, Andrews AFB, Md., became a mecca for aerial porters throughout the Air Force. Fifty porters were tasked from installations throughout the United States to augment Andrews own compliment of 48 porters supporting the Nuclear Security Summit.

Airman 1st Class Alex Rose from the 3rd Aerial Port Squadron, at Pope AFB, N.C., didn't quite know what to expect of his temporary assignment with the 89th Aerial Port Squadron at Andrews. After three shifts, the magnitude of his mission was clear. The Airman had received and cared for the official aircraft of the world's most powerful people, dedicating his 12-hour shifts to delegations from Russia, China, Japan, Mexico, France and the Philippines. "I even got to handle Air Force Two, in support of Vice President Joe Biden's trip," Airman Rose said. "I typically handle cargo. Today, I'm supporting the largest gathering of world leaders in the United States since 1945," he said, in reference to a gathering of 50 world leaders who drew up the United Nations charter in San Francisco.

Besides 58 summit missions, aerial porters executed a normal operations load of 98 missions throughout the summit. Those everyday missions may include military leaders, Congressmen and Distinguished visitors from abroad, as well as medical transports bringing wounded warriors stateside. To accomplish this, the squadron split 96 available Andrews porters into two packages of 48. Half supported daily missions, while the remaining 48 Andrews Airmen combined with 50 AMC sourced porters to tackle the NSS mission. The flexibility of porters dispatched from aerial port squadrons at Dover AFB, Del., McGuire AFB, N.J., Travis AFB, Calif., McChord AFB, Wash. Charleston AFB, S.C. and Pope AFB, N.C. supported 89th APS as it tackled the summit, and its standard operations tempo.

Porters - who refer to themselves by their career field designation, 2T2's - from every corner of the Air Force found themselves servicing nearly every type of aircraft imaginable at a furious pace. The majority of delegations arrived April 12, resulting in a particularly high operational tempo. At one point there were five aircraft, requiring some type of service simultaneously. Air Mobility Command supplied 19 pieces of equipment, including nine stairtrucks, in advance of the summit to service the massive operation.

The 2T2's moniker, "2T2, Can Do!" is a fitting rally cry for a career field required to be flexible at all times. An aerial porter's job begins when an aircraft taxis to a full stop, and it doesn't end until it departs again for takeoff. "We take pride in the fact that our Airmen are among the first to interact with distinguished visitors," said 89th Airlift Wing APS Flight Superintendant Master Sgt. Kenneth Anderson.

The summit required 98 porters to work alternating shifts of 49 Airmen. This workload is described by many 2T2s as indicative of a career field in high demand, where12-hour days are typical.

As aircraft touch down and roll to their initial download point on the Andrews tarmac, aerial porters swing into action. The aircraft is blocked and a stairtruck, driven by a 2T2, edges as close as possible to the aircraft without touching it. In many cases, the delegation onboard includes a head-of-state who descends the stairs and is escorted to a motorcade.

Receiving delegations is largely a ceremonial process, but once the motorcade transporting VIP's departs, the ceremony ends and an aerial porters job shifts into high-gear.

"These nations are entrusting us with the care and protection of their aircraft," Sgt. Anderson said. "Everything we do to them is planned out as carefully as possible."
After delegation heads depart, the plane is escorted by 2T2s to its parking space for the duration of the summit. A mobile package of 2T2's descend on the jet as soon as it is stationary, performing services and preparing every aspect of the plane for takeoff. Lavatories are drained, crews, pallets and bins stacked with luggage and personal items are downloaded, and auxiliary power is hooked up. Food and fresh water is restocked, while the interior is cleaned. As many as 30 individuals, five vehicles and a generator simultaneously work behind the scenes.

Depending on the size, porters can clean, empty and restock an aircraft in 40 minutes. "Having half of our 2T2s from different units for this mission doesn't matter," said Maj. Joseph Whittington, 89th APS interim commander. "Everyone in this community can show up and get the job done, working with totally new faces every day." 

2T2s found themselves in the role of translator while supporting the summit. "Some delegations have specific instructions on how to handle their equipment, but sometimes we don't have anyone on hand to translate," Major Whittington said. "In that case, our mission takes on a diplomatic aspect and requires patience and body language interpretation."

As the summit ends, porters prepare all of the aircraft for departure by loading cargo, refueling and ensuring auxiliary power is available for engine restart.

"I'll definitely be telling my grandkids about this," said Airman Rose as he was sitting in an idling stairtruck on the Andrews tarmac April 12. It was 78 degrees, with a light breeze. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev had just departed Andrews in a lengthy motorcade. Airman Rose looked out at the scattered, multicolored aircraft that had arrived from around the globe to confront the issue of global nuclear security. He refocused back on the mission at hand, saying, "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go care for the president of the Philippine's plane."