From the Troop Door: A C-130 Loadmaster's View of Afghanistan

By Jeffery Davis Page

Jeff joined the Air Force after graduating from high school at age seventeen. He spent five years on active duty serving in Illinois and Korea. After a ten-year lapse in service, he joined the North Carolina Air Guard. Since then he held several different positions but found his niche as a Loadmaster. He has flown on the C-130 and C-17 and has 1

• Language: English
• Publisher: Palmetto Publishing
• Release date: Nov 30, 2020
• ISBN: 9781641113199

Book preview

THE SOVIET UNION INVADES

AFGHANISTAN

I

n 1979, when I was in the ninth grade, the Soviet Union crossed into Afghanistan to test the muster of the tribesmen of Afghanistan. The Western world saw this as an unacceptable spread of communism. A student of history saw this as suicide. Communism, with its sister ethos of atheism in a Muslim nation, would surely falter and expend its energies in futility. The Soviet Union embarked on an invasion of Afghanistan because of political instability in Afghanistan and the suspicions of American intentions in Afghan politics. This was essentially a return to the Great Game, with the Americans instead of the British. Under the leadership of Mikhail Gorbachev, the Soviets succumbed to local domestic conditions in Russia and elected to withdraw from Afghanistan. The cost of victory became too high with the deaths of nearly 15,000 Soviet soldiers and another 35,000 wounded. Moreover, the heterogeneous group of tribesmen failed to acknowledge the superiority of Soviet weapons when they were supplied by the American Central Intelligence Agency. Furthermore, their unity against the Soviets proved unbreakable as long as Soviet soldiers occupied the country. Once the Soviets departed, that unity against the foreign invader crumbled again into chaos. One of the men who fought against the Soviets was Atta Mohammad Noor, a prominent leader of Jamiat-i-Islami Party and the former governor of Balkh Province. Noor observes:

The mujahedeen victory brought freedom to so many other countries in the eastern bloc, which was ­controlled by the Soviet Union. They got freedoms because of the mujahedeen. Because we took up weapons in our country, they were able to get freedoms.

Militarily, the Soviet army was not defeated. They continued to control much of Afghanistan, at least the cities and also part of the countryside—not unlike the current situation," said Thomas Ruttig, co-director, Afghanistan Analysts Network (AAN), drawing a comparison with the potential withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan.

But unlike the United States now, they really were in an economic crisis.¹ Greeks, British, Russians (Soviets)—all trotted the dirt of Afghanistan. In the end Afghanistan remained what it has always been: a difficult place, inhospitable terrain ruled by fiercely independent people, who remained unchanged by any outside influence.

In the end, those who manage to stay will be absorbed by the mountains of Afghanistan and, like the Macedonians and Greeks, only be remembered for some incidental reason, like the green and blue eyes Alexander’s troops left in the local genetics. Little did I imagine that one day, I, albeit in a far lesser role, would walk in the footsteps of Greeks, British, and Russian invaders. Reflecting on the vast history and the significance of this after a decade, I am awed at the gift I was given to share in this legacy.

1. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/02/victory-strong-afghans-celebrate-soviet-pullout-190215145700258.html

LOADMASTER TRAINING

I

became enamored with aviation at an early age. Once, my uncle hired a crop duster to spray his tobacco fields. The field behind the pack house was rather large, but the last row ended with the length of feet of the tree line that housed some of my Pa Joe’s many pigs. I was lucky enough to witness the crop duster come in low from across the fields, where my great-grandmother Jessie Lee lived, and then descend even lower, moving across the rows of tobacco. At the last minute, the crop duster would pull up and seemed to be within inches of the pines and oaks that occupied the edge of the field. It certainly made an impression on my young self.

Upon graduating from high school and lacking the finances, maturity, or ability to attend college, I joined the Air Force. I spent five years on active duty and then spent ten years out of service. I rejoined the North Carolina Air National Guard in 1998. In 2007, I met the chief of the loadmaster section, Chief Master Sergeant Robert Mike Mike, in the deployment line—meaning he was in process to go on a deployment to Afghanistan. At my age (over forty), I was doubtful he would be receptive to my inquiries concerning a position within the load section, but he was. He told me, when the deployment was over, to speak to Senior Master Sergeant Jackson Trapper. I did, and to my surprise, I was hired. I cannot express the gratitude and the delight I felt at being given this opportunity and the chance to wear a flight suit.

The school requirement for a loadmaster was about eight months. The academic portion was not difficult for me, as I had been in the Aerial Port Squadron on active duty and had familiarization with load planning and hazardous cargo. The Survival School portion of training was grueling for me. Others may have enjoyed it, but it is something I am glad I do not have to do again. Shortly after I returned from training, Chief Mike retired as the chief of the loadmaster section and was replaced by Senior Master Sergeant Jackson Trapper. I was privileged to have flown with Chief Mike a few times before he departed. Later, I learned this was not so much a privilege as it was an informal observation of how I performed on the plane. Chief Mike simply stated, I am going to hop on tonight’s mission. He never said a word about anything related to the job but watched and observed. Chief Mike was promoted to Wing Command chief when he stepped down from the loadmaster section, and, in passing the leadership to now Chief Trapper, wrote a letter to the loadmasters. I have included this letter below because it summarizes Chief Mike better than my words can:

When I first was notified I was to become the Chief Loadmaster

For this squadron in September of 1998, a great many thoughts

Flooded my very small mind. What should I do first? I did nothing,

I waited…I had inherited a well-trained, well-disciplined organization

From my predecessor CMSgt Dennis Hovis. We had always been

The best section in the squadron, and I vowed to continue that under

My watch. Again, I had to do nothing. I have watched…You are the

Best, and I feel very certain you will continue to improve in the future.

I got here, I stayed here, and I moved up from here because of the support,

Hard work, diligence, professionalism, perseverance, will power, and

Dedication from you and a great many before you. No one in this section

Will be a success by themselves, TEAMWORK, taking care of each other,

Doing what you are supposed to do when you are supposed to do it.

Knowing what is right without having to be told, mutual respect.

Willingness to accept change, relentless self-study, preparing yourselves

For future challenges, and leadership roles. All these things are hallmarks

Of professionalism, which have made my job and my time here the most

Enjoyable experience of my military career. Blue skies and contrails.

Jackson, they are all yours no…love them…mentor them…push them

To excel, listen to them, trust them. They will awe you, astound you,

Piss you off, break your heart, and humble you…They are the best in the world.

It has been a decade since I opened and read this ­letter from the chief. His sentiments were prophetic then and shall be to all who accept the responsibility of placing wings upon their chest. The ensuing decade saw multiple deployments back to Afghanistan and the final C-130 deployment to Kuwait. The Islamic State in Syria and Iraq arose in Iraq and Syria, causing a bloodbath of death and execution benefitting any ancient warlord. In the wake, 50,000 Yazidis were trapped on Mount Sinjar, and the loadmasters Chief Mike addressed in his letter dropped supplies to them in an effort to prevent their starvation and death. Those same men and women continued to volunteer for any humanitarian crisis involving hurricanes to floods. Most significantly, when tragedy struck on July 2, 2012, and we lost a plane fighting fires in South Dakota (resulting in the death and injury of four crewmembers and the injuries of two loadmasters), the section wavered with grief but did not break. The bonds of camaraderie and dedication to the mission remained. Indeed, I have been fortunate to be numbered among such outstanding Americans.

On a personal note, in many respects the sentiment that sustained me through Survival School—getting my lunch tossed during a five hour local at Little Rock Air Force Base, being slapped in the face, and forcibly being locked in a closet with a laundry bag over my head—was the leadership I saw in the actions of Chief Mike. Just as he watched me on those flights I flew with him, I was observing his vocal and non-vocal attributes when I had the opportunity. I had left a full-time job at the base and the security of federal employment to become a part-time loadmaster and take my chances on doing something I wanted to do—but having not a clue as to what I would do for a