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Lt. Col. Robert Schuett (right), a member of the Ohio Air National Guard's 179th Airlift Wing and a Lexington, Ohio, resident, assumes command of the newly-formed 702nd Expeditionary Airlift Squadron from Col. Robert Kiebler (left) Aug. 9, 2011, at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan. The primary mission of the 702nd EAS is to provide support to forward operating bases using the new C-27J Spartan cargo aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Corey Hook) |
KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan — Deployed members of the 179th Airlift Wing, based in Mansfield, Ohio, took charge of the 702nd Expeditionary Airlift Squadron during an Aug. 9, 2011, ceremony.
The newly formed unit, which also includes Army National Guard aviation personnel, is part of the 451st Expeditionary Operations Group and under the command of Lt. Col. Robert Schuett, a Lexington, Ohio, resident.
"This unit has made huge strides to get trained while away from Family, and heading out for this deployment shortly after," Schuett said. "I'm very proud of the work they've done to make all this possible."
The primary mission of the 702nd EAS is to provide support to forward operating bases using the new C-27J Spartan cargo aircraft. The C-27Js were selected for this mission due to their ability to utilize short runways, as well as their flying capacity which allows them to reach more remote bases. |