Ops Group: Flying into the fight

  • Published
  • By Tim Rodenberger
  • Public affairs
Grand Forks AFB, ND --  The mission is planned as Air Mobility Command assesses the needs of the Air Force and delegates the mission to the 319th Air Refueling Wing. Preparations are completed as Tech. Sgt. Ronald Kessler from the weather flight relays the weather information to flight planning and the crew gets ready after a 12-hour down-time. As the Airmen and pilots of the 912th Air Refueling Squadron begin to roll in to the 319th Base Operations building, the final orders are given; green light, the mission is good to go. 

The 319th Operations Group encompasses the pilots, the weather forecasters, air traffic controllers and many others, personifying the very mission of Grand Forks Air Force Base; in-flight refueling. Deploying for an average of more than 200 days a year, members of the Ops Group are subject to a very high deployment tempo and maintain a high level of readiness according to Maj. Pat Day, 912 ARS supervisor. Deployments for members of the 319 OG can take them all over the world, from the Middle East to Europe. Staff Sgt. Andy Holthaus, a boom-operator with the 912 ARS, recalled his favorite traveling spot in Vienna, Austria. "In my job I've been all over the world, and I'm only 23-years-old," Sergeant Holthaus added, "we love it." 

Other pilots reminisce about more heart-felt missions involving airlift and bringing Soldiers home from Iraq and Afghanistan. 

"You complete the mission all the way full-circle," Major Day said. Bringing the troops home to their families overshadowed all other missions in terms of emotional appeal, he added. 

Another facet of the Ops Group involves the air traffic controllers, the ground controllers maintaining the taxiing aircraft, the weather forecasters and the members of the 319th Operations Support Squadron. As behind the scenes members of the Ops Group, they help maintain the group's mission while staying on base to ensure operations run smoothly. "We're here 24 hours," said Sergeant Kessler. 

Major Day concluded the 319 OG continually rotate through deployments, training and upgrading. The pilots, navigators, boom-operators, weather forecasters, desk clerks and flight planners of the group play a vital role in executing and enhancing the mission of in-flight refueling. However, they require a vast internal network of support to continue running at operational speed. Next week, The Leader will cover the group directly responsible for keeping the OG up and running and at peak performance; the maintainers.